*Monitoring of Sea Turtles, Bats, Monkeys, Jaguars and Agami Herons*
*About Ecology Project International (EPI):*
EPI is an international non-profit organization dedicated to addressing
critical conservation issues through field-based partnerships between local
experts and high school students. We engage adolescent youth from local
communities and visiting youth from other regions in applied hands-on
science and conservation as they learn about and help protect threatened
species and habitats. Through EPI’s programs in five countries throughout
the U.S. and Latin America, teens are inspired and empowered to engage in
conservation efforts at home and worldwide to become the next generation of
conservation leaders. More information can be found at
*About Pacuare Reserve:*
Established in 1989 and administered by Ecology Project International (EPI)
since 2016, it has 800 hectares of tropical rainforest on the Caribbean
coast of Costa Rica and have a high density of wildlife and its 6km (3.7
miles) of beach, is the most important nesting beach in the country for the
leatherback sea turtles and is habitat to the only accessible breeding
colony of Agami herons in the Caribbean and northern South America. Our
goals are conservation, research and environmental education. More
*Job Summary:*
The field assistant (FA) is a long-term volunteer job whom supports the
work and data collection of the different investigations of Pacuare
Reserve: sea turtles, Agami heron, jaguars and monkeys, among others.
Field Assistants (FA) will be trained in sea turtle monitoring techniques
and the primary responsibilities will include leading night beach censuses,
conducting morning beach surveys, tagging sea turtles and collecting data,
relocating and excavating nests, train new volunteers, manage the database,
building and being in charge of the sea turtle hatcheries.
Monitoring activities are carried out along 6 km (3.7 miles) of nesting
beach. FA ÃŒÂs will be in charge of leading visitors and/or groups of
students while on the beach, explaining the beach protocol and supervising
them on the process of data collection. FA ÃŒÂs are expected to participate
in other activities carried out by the Reserve like personal research
projects, environmental education activities, talks and workshops with
students and visitors, beach cleaning, recycling projects, or other needs
of the station. FA ÃŒÂs are expected to work 8-10 hours throughout the day
and/or night, often with little sleep. Beach censuses require walking on
soft sand and under the rain, therefore, a good physical condition is a
requirement for the FA position.
The position has a duration of three months with the possibility of
extending the period based on the execution of activities and performance.
The volunteer must choose one of three teams of assistants to participate
during the season.
*Qualifications:*
*Required:*
– Minimum age: 22 years.
– Graduates of or close to graduating in Natural Resources Management,
Biology, Environmental Science or a related field.
– Availability to work full dates, according to the chosen period
– Be bilingual in Spanish and English
– Being in good physical condition
– To be able to work actively in an atmosphere of variable sleep hours,
with day and night schedules
– Be proactive
– Experience of living with many people over long periods of time
– Experience teaching or sharing knowledge with other people
– Desires to live in a remote place and get the most out of the experience
*Preferred:*
· Previous experiences working with sea turtles
· Previous experience volunteering and living in Costa Rica, especially in
the Caribbean coast
· Previous Experience in environmental education
· Previous Experience with customer service
*Schedule and Location:*
There are three possible options to participate from February 20th to May
31th; from May 22th to August 15th; from August 10th to October 31th.
Pacuare Reserve, central Caribbean coast, Costa Rica.
The field assistant work is voluntary; approximately 4-6 hours are worked
on the beach and 2-3 hours during the day. The assistant has one night a
week to rest and a free day that can be accumulated to leave the Reserve
once a month. Rooms are shared, limited privacy and limited internet
connection.
*Compensation:*
FA Positions are voluntary and selected candidates are expected to plan and
finance their own travel to and from the Reserve, as well as travel
insurance. FAs will receive 3 meals a day and basic shared accommodations
for the duration of their time working for Pacuare Reserve.
*Please note*: A deposit of US$200 will be needed and will be reimbursed at
the end of the volunteer work.
*Questions can be directed to:*
Claudio Quesada-RodrÃÂguez, claudio.quesada@ecologyproject.org
*For more information:*
– Please read more information about the position in the following link (
*To apply:*
– Applications must be submitted electronically (applications will be
reviewed when received).
– Please, complete the form and submit the requested information using the
link (
)
*Claudio Quesada RodrÃÂguez*
*Research and Conservation Coordinator*
*Pacuare Reserve – Costa Rica*
*Ecology Project International*
506.40002727 office | 506.85803736 cell phone