Oferta para biólogos exploradores: Muestreo de grandes carnívoros en Angola

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.

Role Profile:

The project through which this job has arisen is a partnership between the Range Wide Conservation Program for Cheetah and African Wild Dogs (RWCP; through ZSL), the Angolan Ministry of Environment and the Angolan Carnivore Project. The job opening is for a Portuguese-speaking, experienced survey leader for a three month period from July to September 2016. This includes one week preparation, two full months in the field and three weeks analysing and writing up the data. The work is to conduct surveys in and around Bicuar and Mupa National Parks in south western Angola. Total area to be covered is c. 20,000km2. Bicuar National Park is 7,900km2 and Mupa is 6,600km2. The survey will include some of the area in between the two parks and around the edges. The main technique to be used is spoor surveys, supplemented with questionnaire surveys in the habituated areas and camera trapping in the more inaccessible places. Scat samples of large carnivores will need to be collected and processed for genetic and diet analysis.

For the fieldwork, the survey leader will be working long hours, starting before dawn and finishing at or after dusk. They will be accompanied by two Angolan trackers and at least one Angolan student or intern at a time. They will be expected to help train the student in all techniques employed during the survey. The survey leader will report to the southern African coordinator of the RWCP and the Ministry of Environment in Angola.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Preparation for and organisation of logistics for a long field based survey in Angola
Conducting two full months of field work in remote areas of Angola
Conducting spoor surveys, camera trap surveys and questionnaire surveys
Analysing the data and writing up the results into a comprehensive English and Portuguese report
Publishing the results of the survey (with the permission of the Angolan Ministry) in a scientific journal
Training Park personnel and Angolan students in survey methodology

Person Specification:

Essential Requirements

These are very remote areas, about which relatively little is known. It is a very exciting opportunity but will need someone able to live and work long hours in challenging field conditions for two months straight, living mostly out of a tent and subsisting on basic food rations. Essential qualifications include:
Fluent in Portuguese and English
Experience with carnivore field surveys (ideally spoor / track surveys)
MSc (or equivalent) or higher
Proven ability to analyse data and write reports (in English)
Willing to live and work in extremely remote conditions (mostly camping) for 60 days straight
Adaptable and able to make a plan when situations change
GIS skills (and use of GPS in the field)
Experience with cyber tracker (or similar data collection tools)
Ability to manage tight budgets

Preferred skills / qualifications
Fieldwork experience in Africa
Camera trapping experience
Experience with questionnaire surveys
Experience camping for long periods of time in remote areas
First aid training

Please Note: this position will be based in a very remote part of Angola and requires long working days

To Apply:

Applicants will need to upload their CV and covering letter (detailing relevant experience and skills, stating why they want the position and including details of availability) and can do this by clicking the "Apply for this job online" in the ZSL webpage.

Closing date for applications: Midnight Sunday 1st May 2016