Research Assistant - Primate - Indonésie - Vite

2 x Research Assistant - Orangutan and Gibbon Behaviour Project

Hiring Organization:
Orangutan Tropical Peatland Research Project (OUTROP)

Position Description:
OUTROP carries out biodiversity research in the peat-swamp forests of
the Sebangau Ecosystem, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Our major
research interests are orang-utan and gibbon population status,
behaviour and ecology, and habitat dynamics, regeneration and
biodiversity. The orang-utan behaviour project started in August 2003
and has since collected over 10,000 hours of focal animal
observations on 23 habituated individuals. The gibbon behaviour
project began in July 2005 and has habituated seven family groups,
one lone male and has identified five further groups for habituation.
This is the only research project where the two species' ecology and
their interactions are being studied side-by-side, and is revealing
new and interesting insights into their behaviour as well as
benefiting the conservation of the two species.

We require one research assistant to work on the orang-utan behaviour
project and one to work on the gibbon behaviour project, under the
supervision of the Project Leaders and the Camp Manager. Fieldwork
includes locating and following individual apes in the forest,
recording details of activity, feeding, nesting, vocalising and
social behaviour; collecting food, faecal and urine samples; and
obtaining GPS positions. Additional duties include processing
samples, collecting monthly phenology (forest productivity) and nest-
survey data and entering data into databases. Assistants will work
alongside Indonesian research assistants on a daily basis.

After an initial training and handover period the assistants will
supervise the day-to-day logistics and personnel of the behaviour
projects, including organising and recording the staff-rota and
holding daily checks and discussion of field data.

Qualifications/Experience:
Applicants should have an interest in primate ecology and conservation

Prior experience of working in a physically-demanding environment is
desirable, you must be physically-fit and not be put off by
mosquitoes, spiders and snakes, the wet-season swamps, 3.30 am t0
6.00 pm follow days and hot, humid conditions

Prior experience of field research and field data collection preferred

Capable of working independently with a small team in an isolated
environment.

Be committed to learning conservational Indonesian at the site as
this is essential for the role.

Be able to come to Cambridge, United Kingdom, for interview

Salary/funding:
No salary is provided for this position but all in-situ costs are
covered

Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals,
lodging):
Accommodation is provided at base-camp and at our mess-house in the
town of Palangkaraya. All transport to and from camp and meals at
camp are provided. You need to cover your own international and
internal travel to Palangkaraya (via Jakarta), medical insurance and
personal equipment.

Term of Appointment:
Initial six-month fixed term to start as soon as possible, additional
six months-1 year if all parties are satisfied with each other at end
of fixed term.

Application Deadline:
ASAP

Comments:
Apply by post / e-mail (preferred) with current full CV, names and
addresses of two referees and covering letter. Please indicate
whether you would prefer to apply for the orang-utan project, gibbon
project, or have no preference. If applying by e-mail please quote
reference ‘PBA07’ in message title.

Contact Information:
Helen Morrogh-Bernard
Wildlife Research Group, Anatomy School
University of Cambridge, Cambridge
United Kingdom

Website:
http://www.orangutantrop.com

E-mail Address:
outrop@yahoo.co.uk