SWAZILAND / All Out Africa
A Field Research & Student Co-ordinator position is available with ALL OUT AFRICA on our Savanna Conservation project for 1 YEAR starting in late May 2012. Food and accommodation are provided and a basic stipend of R4,000. The position involves co-ordinating our Savanna Research Project based in Mbuluzi Game Reserve in the Lubombo Conservancy of Swaziland (which comprises Hlane Royal National Park, Mlawula Nature Reserve, Mbuluzi Game Reserve and Shewula Community Nature Reserve).
ALL OUT AFRICA operates in Swaziland, South Africa, Botswana, and Mozambique and runs a range of different wildlife and social projects through offering volunteers and students the opportunity to participate in the projects as a means of sustaining them (www.alloutafrica.com). The main purpose of this position is to plan, organize and manage international volunteers/students to work on the Savanna Conservation Project. Your main goals will be to achieve:
- Happy volunteers/students
- Successful field data collection & entry
In running this project, ALL OUT AFRICA works with a variety of partners including the University of Florida, University of Swaziland, conservation agencies and park management authorities.
The main focus of the volunteer/student co-ordination will be helping to organise and motivate short-term international volunteers/students and arrange their daily activities to gather the research data. Many of the volunteers/students may not have field research experience and you would be their mentor and guide. You would be responsible for organizing and motivating them and arranging their daily activities. You will be asked to help co-ordinate (in conjunction with a local assistant) the logistical needs of the volunteers/students including transporting them, arranging food provision (doing weekly food shops and co-ordinating shared cooking duties) and accommodation. The accommodation is based at our research station in Mbuluzi Game Reserve which includes a permanent research building and tented camp with running water (including hot showers and toilets). Electricity is provided for limited periods via a generator.
The project work involves carrying out field-based monitoring of the following (in six 1km2 plots to investigate their relative influences on each other):
- Vegetation
- Ungulates
- Rodents
- Small predators
- Birds
There are also some specific studies of:
- raptor breeding
- tortoise tracking (telemetry & satellite)
- pangolins & aardvark burrow use
You will also be responsible for on-site management of the research station as well as working with long term PHD students based there. In addition, you will play an important role in the Lubombo Conservancy committee and as well as lead an environmental education programme in the surrounding communities.
There will be long hours involved in the work, and some night work. Applicants should be comfortable working such hours under difficult field conditions in rugged terrain.
Requirements:
- A BSc degree in ecology/zoology/botany (preferably MSc)
- A valid manual driving license of at least 2 yrs
- experience & demonstrated ability with ecological field research
- excellent people skills & field guiding skills
- willingness and ability to organise & mentor volunteers in all research activities
- rabies vaccination
Other desired criteria:
- radio telemetry experience
- mist netting experience
- animal handling experience (preferably rodents)
- cooking skills
To apply send a CV and motivation letter to jobs@alloutafrica.com by 19th April 2013 clearly referencing in the subject line “Savanna Conservation Co-ordinator”.
Expires: April 19, 2013