Elephants for Africa is looking for a long term volunteer to assist in our field programme in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana to assist with data collection on wild elephant movement, ecology and social behaviour. This opportunity offers an excellent opportunity for someone with a strong academic background in conservation/biology/animal behaviour/zoology who is looking to develop their field skills and work with existing researchers in the field. Start date: As soon as possible.
Job description
- Assist with data collection in the field, alongside experienced researchers.
Specifically duties will involve:
- Accompanying researchers on driven transect routes, observing wild elephants.
- Learning and helping to record individual elephant identity, social behaviour and movement patterns throughout the Park.
- Assisting with camera-trap data on elephant and other mammal movement patterns in the Park.
- Assisting with general data administration and camp duties.
Post Requirements
- Minimum BSc honours degree in biology, zoology or similar
- Some field-work experience (preferably in Africa) and a high level of motivation to widen research and field skills in a remote environment.
- Ability to observe wild animals with patience and accuracy
- Good communication and social skills to interact with local people
- Fluent in both written and spoken English
- Computer literacy in Microsoft Office and some experience of using SPSS and/or R
- Full clean drivers licence
- Some experience of off-road driving
- Minimum 6 months commitment, preferably 12 months
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Post offers
- Opportunity to work alongside existing researchers, PhD and MSc students in a renowned National Park and an exciting location for elephant research
- Development of personal research and field skills, including animal observation, data recording and management, GPS tracking, sampling protocols and general bush living
- For the right candidate, there may be opportunities to develop own personal research interests (with the possibility of developing a MSc or PhD programme) and/or to obtain authorship on published journal articles (subject to the candidate providing sufficient contributions to data collection and in agreement with other authors)
- Food and accommodation (a safari-style tent) will be provided, and support in gaining the appropriate research permits and visas will be offered
Application
Please send CV and covering letter as to why you want to become a member of the research team and what you think you can offer, to: info@elephantsforafrica.org.
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