JOB TITLE: Aldabra Rat and Cat Eradication Senior Project Officer (Feasibility Phase)
SALARY: Subject to qualifications and experience
REPORTING TO: RaCE Team Leader, RaCE/CEPF Manager, Aldabra Science Coordinator (ASC)
START DATE: 01/02/2024
DURATION: 1 year (renewable for 1 further year)
LOCATION: Aldabra Atoll (field-based, including long camping trips with basic facilities)
SALARY RANGE: Salary Grade 9
INCLUDES: 1 return flight, transport to and from Aldabra, food while on camp
This position will play a major role in the Aldabra rat and cat eradication (RaCE) preparation and feasibility phase. The RaCE senior project officer will support the RaCE feasibility team leader with implementation of the feasibility trials, including trapping, marking, culling, measuring and dissections of target species (rats and cats), bait trials, setting camera traps, non-target species trials and ecological monitoring. The post holder will be responsible for: careful and comprehensive implementation of feasibility trial design in the field; meticulous data collection and record keeping; reporting of data, observations and problems; image analysis; strict adherence to project protocols; in-field leadership and training of junior field staff, where necessary; daily data entry; checking and cleaning of all feasibility study data; assisting RaCE feasibility field manager with reporting and presenting results; attending Aldabra research and RaCE meetings and reporting progress; and writing project updates and posts for communication and outreach purposes. The person in this position should be a responsible and professional senior field officer, setting high standards in all aspects of work and behaviour.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
This position requires:
• An experienced senior field officer able to provide strong support and independent sub-team leadership and training in the field (essential)
• Postgraduate level education in environmental science/conservation (essential) or equivalent
• 3+ years of remote fieldwork experience (essential), ideally on tropical islands
• 2+ years of experience conducting IAS monitoring and management and ecological monitoring, ideally in a senior position (essential, ideally with rats)
• Demonstrated experience of ethical IAS capture/culling, marking and dissection (essential)
• Experience with writing for different audiences, including technical reports and popular articles/social media posts (essential)
• Experience in assisting with operational planning and monitoring for rat/cat eradications and in eradication implementation would be a major asset (desirable)
• Experience with ecological monitoring design and research on native species (desirable)
• Experience with using camera traps for ecological monitoring (desirable)
• Experience in Seychelles and familiarity with Indian Ocean islands (desirable)
SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES:
• Strong interest in and passion for island restoration (essential)
• Strong data management, analysis and reporting skills (essential)
• Strong working knowledge of invasive species management techniques and theory (essential)
• Outstanding work ethic, and meticulous organisational and planning skills (essential)
• Excellent communication skills (essential)
• Excellent physical fitness and ability to swim (essential)
• First aid qualification (essential), ideally for remote field work (desirable)
• Outreach and education interest and experience (desirable)
• Small tiller boat license (desirable)
APPLICATIONS
Interested applicants should send a CV and a cover letter addressing why they are interested in the post and how they meet the criteria to nancy@sif.sc and hr@sif.sc. Candidates that do not meet requirements will not be considered. The deadline for applications is Friday 8th December 2023. Late applicants will only be considered if the positions cannot be filled.