Volunteer Opportunity - Camera Trap Data Analysis Technician, Conservation Programmes

About us:

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), a charity founded in 1826, is a world-renowned centre of excellence for conservation science and applied conservation. ZSL’s mission is to promote and achieve the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. This is realised by carrying out field conservation and research in over 50 countries across the globe and through education and awareness-raising at our two zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, inspiring people to take conservation action.

Opportunity Overview:

Camera trap technology is a powerful non-invasive tool to collect data on wildlife populations worldwide.  It is particularly useful to monitor elusive, nocturnal and wide-ranging mammal species that are otherwise hard to detect. At ZSL, scientists are extensively using camera traps for the conservation of threatened mammals. Camera trap arrays are being used to study the rare tigers and leopards of the Russian Far East and gain insight into some of the hunting threats affecting them. Profiles of poorly known rare forest faunas along the Kenya coast have been made and will be compared with results in future repetitions. Camera trap arrays have also been used to study the incredibly rare Saharan cheetahs and dama gazelles, and in Arabia monitor Nubian ibex, re-introduced Arabian oryx and gazelles as well as small poorly known species such as Blanford’s fox and sand cat.

The rapidly increasing numbers of active camera traps producing thousands of images in a short time, is creating a backlog of images to be analysed and used for conservation. ZSL has developed a camera trap data management and analysis tool and associated protocols to overcome the existing limitations. In order to maintain momentum on the excellent progress being made at ZSL with the tool, support is needed to address data processing workload and maximise use and impact of the camera trap analysis tool.

Role of Volunteer:

This volunteering opportunity involves supporting the development of the ZSL camera trap tool, helping with setting up the tool lookup tables, preparing the user manual, preparing and importing camera trap data and supporting data across ZSL field programmes.  The role holder will report to Tim Wacher and Rajan Amin (Senior Wildlife Biologists).

Please note that this is a voluntary position. However, ZSL will reimburse travel costs from within the Greater London area (up to the equivalent of a weekly zone 1-6 travel card) and up to £5 per volunteering day for lunch.

In this role, the voluntary intern will benefit from:

• Interacting with ZSL biologists and field staff to prepare camera trap data from Arabia for importing into the tool and with subsequent data analysis and report generation.
• Helping in the development of camera trap tool, specifically updating the draft camera trap analysis tool manual, developing training material and populating region specific tool lookup tables (species, Red List status, habitats etc.).
• Providing admin support to tool development (e.g. maintaining list of changes to software etc.).
• Helping with preparation of at least one manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
• Hands on experience of how a conservation NGO operates.
• Any other activities agreed with line managers.

A full job description is available from https://www.zsl.org/volunteer-opportunity-camera-trap-data-analysis-technician-conservation-programmes

To Apply:

Applicants should send their completed Volunteer and Volunteer Intern Application Form, by email to Raj.Amin@zsl.org and Tim.Wacher@zsl.org. Please include the job title in the subject header of your email. We regret that we will only be able to contact applicants who have been selected for interview

Closing Date for applications: Thursday 13^th August 2015.

Interviews will likely be held during the week commencing 17^th August 2015.

The Zoological Society of London is a charity registered in England and Wales: no. 208728.