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Title

Marine Biologist Internship

Posted
Reference MB job - environment jobs.com  (Please mention Stopdodo/Environment Jobs in your application)
Sectors Hydrology, Hydrogeology, Water Resources
Location Maldives - Asia & M East
Town/City Naifaru
Salary Additional Information na
Type Fixed Term and Permanent Roles
Status Full Time
Level Voluntary & Interns
Deadline 10/03/2017
Company Name Atoll Volunteers
Contact Name Atoll Volunteers
Telephone +960 7564516
Email coordinator@atollvolunteers.com
Website Further Details / Applications
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Description

Marine Biologist – Atoll Volunteers – The Maldives

Our two marine biologists are in charge of running the marine centre, caring for the sea turtles, progressing our coral gardening efforts, raising environmental awareness within the community, monitoring local reef health and managing the international volunteers who pay to participate in the marine programme ‘Marine Conservation and Turtle Conservation’. The daily work is mostly caring for the turtles, but the more efficient the management of the turtle programme, the more time there will be for the other projects.

The work requires constant commitment and passion. The position offers a lot of responsibility and the chosen candidate will be expected to manage this in a disciplined and professional way while also keeping a healthy balance between work and fun. We attract volunteers from around the world, from different backgrounds and with different needs. You will lead and interact with these volunteers daily and we strive to make sure that they have a meaningful stay with us.

Responsibilities

As the marine biologist your job description will include the following:

1. Managing and expanding/improving the Marine Conservation and Turtle Conservation programme:

  • Ensuring correct sea turtle husbandry (daily)
  • Working towards effective protection for sea turtles and their eggs
  • Establishing and maintaining constructive communications with other sea turtle institutions
  • Continuing  turtle conservation contributions for the Maldives Sea Turtle Monitoring Network
  • Restarting and monitoring coral gardening work
  • Monitoring reef health in the surrounding areas

2. Managing and expanding/improving awareness outreach into the community:

  • Weekly nature club lessons (ages 10-15)
  • Environmental events to reach the whole community, including annual Turtle Festival (around 1000 attendees)
  • Reaching out to neighbouring islands

3. Ensuring the health and happiness of participating volunteers and overseeing duties concerned with their stay.

4. Writing progress reports, funding reports and funding proposals where necessary, as well as daily admin.

5. Managing the operations and expansions at our marine centre

  • Daily opening to receive and educate visitors (locals and tourists) includes Powerpoint presentation, marine centre tour etc. Confidence with large groups preferred.
  • Maintaining and improving aesthetic appeal, operational facilities and educational content/displays.

Requirements:

The below criteria are extremely important as your effectiveness here will depend on your ability to thrive in the conditions and face all the tasks ahead.

Necessary:

1. You must have a Masters degree or a Bachelor degree with a lot of experience in a related field; marine biology, marine ecology etc.

2. You should have proven experience working in a tropical and/or developing country. Conditions are basic, food is simple and island operations and supplies tend to be limited and slow under the concept of ‘island time’.

3. You will need to be an easy-going, approachable and friendly ‘team player’ as this position is more than a scientific one. You will be leading a team of culturally diverse volunteers, working within a small community and working with busy NGO members.

4. The ability to work independently will be important as your ‘behind-the-scenes work/ideas’ will lead and mould the programme going forward.

5. You will need to be a confident and charismatic speaker with experience delivering informative but attractive and interactive slideshows. You will be delivering presentations to volunteers, tourists, school children and even adult members of the community, council or other NGOs.

6. You will need to be physically fit and comfortable/ strong in the water. It is extremely hot and unsheltered and you will have to travel around the island by foot.

7. You will need to be available for 12 months.

8. You will need to be a proficient English speaker. Other languages are beneficial.

9. You must be competent with Microsoft programmes and admin tasks.

Desirable:

1. Experience working with sea turtles, whether in the wild or a captive scenario, will be hugely beneficial as the health and happiness of the turtles is our first priority.

2. A working knowledge of reef ecology and tropical marine species.

3. Knowledge about aquarium maintenance and fish husbandry for our Anemone fish breeding programme (funded by the UNDP).

4. Experience with surgical procedures in a veterinary environment is beneficial due to recent increase of emergency care situations.

What’s in it for you?

Well, aside from the obvious perks delivered by the Maldives, namely the beautiful setting and fantastic marine life, you will be based in a wonderfully friendly community, fully supported in your work with a programme that is yours to mould and take into the future.

Being based on a local island, as opposed to a resort island, you will have the very real and exciting opportunity to instigate beneficial change right where it is needed. The community is responsive and ready to be educated.

Becoming our new marine biologist will also grant you the unique chance to experience life in the ‘real’ Maldives, outside the crowded and expensive tourist resorts. On our island there are just over 5000 inhabitants so expect to be living in a small island community where everyone knows everyone and where you are bound to be welcomed with open arms and a sense of hospitality which is rare in this world!

We do what we can to engage our volunteers in social activities, so on the weekends we arrange weekly excursions to explore the wonders of the Maldives, whether to uninhabited islands or our favourite snorkeling spots. This is an unpaid position. However, your board, lodging, domestic travel and visa will be covered while you are in Naifaru.

Application:

To apply for the position you must submit an application (CV and covering letter) to the Volunteer Coordinator on: coordinator@atollvolunteers.comQuestions are also welcome.

Applicants must apply no later than the 10th of March, interviews will be held soon after individual application submissions due to the position start date. Therefore, the earlier you can submit, the better. Applicants must be available to begin mid to late March and commit for 12 months.

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