*URGENT! 1 Field Assistant position in Pacuare Reserve to start ASAP*
*Monitoring of Sea Turtles, Bats, Monkeys, Jaguars and Agami Herons*
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*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
*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 information can be found at https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=www.pacuarereserve.org&data=02%7C01%7Cmadeline.hennessey%40uconn.edu%7C9250aabacf6d48f1255908d7afa4bdd2%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C637170994419381611&sdata=3rLFRiqWEX4SZ88ts8AQf2fg1lk3z1DGanGLs5SUxjI%3D&reserved=0
*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:*
The position needs to be filled in ASAP, so applicants who can start the
earliest will be preferred. 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.
*For questions, please contact both persons below:*
Claudio Quesada-RodrÃÂguez, claudio.quesada@ecologyproject.org
Karolina Czechowska, kmczechow@gmail.com
*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