Call for Field Research Assistants for Los Brasiles Sea Turtle Conservation Project in Nicaragua.

Sos Nicaragua is conducting this sea turtle conservation project in Los Brasiles island (Leon), located on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua.

This is a really exciting opportunity for someone looking for a longer term volunteering position in Nicaragua and/or a career in conservation or volunteer program management.

Positions available for the 2019-2020 nesting season:

• 4 Field Assistants (FA) for 12-14 week periods between July 1^st, 2020 – February 15^th, 2021, starting in July 1st and October 15th

FAs need to be people who are motivated and adaptable, good team members, hard working and happy to live in a small isolated community. FAs will take coordination responsibilities under the supervision of the FC. They can stay in both project stations depend on activity level and will support field activities with regular volunteers, student groups and visitors. Typical activities would be proper and professional recording of all technical data, coordinating the work of other volunteers, working with communities and facilitating successful conservation tourism.

Preference will be given to potential FAs that meet the following requirements.  If you do not meet all of these requirements but are enthusiastic and motivated, we encourage you to apply:

• Be highly motivated and responsible
• Be comfortable in extremely remote conditions
• Get along well with folks from different cultures
• Ability to undertake physical labor in the heat and/or rain
• Be in good health condition to walk long nightly hours
• Support FCs in every aspect of the work
• Knowledge of Spanish and English
• Previous experience performing field work (especially with sea turtles)
• Be available for the duration of the selected time frame

FAs are responsible for conducting nightly patrols of several hours each to identify, measure and tag all adult turtles.  Nests are either relocated into a hatchery or marked in situ. Daily early morning walks must be done to count turtle tracks and to check the status of in situ nests. 24 hour hatchery maintenance, hatchling release and post hatching nest excavations are also conducted on a daily basis. This means long hours and hard work.

Beside sea turtle duties, FAs will be responsible for camp/hatchery upkeep and construction, which can include carrying heavy logs, shoveling sand, hammering nails, plant control (using a machetes), watering of plants (during the dry season) and other strenuous physical activities.

FAs do not get scheduled days off, they must be negotiated with the FCs and are subject to the needs of the project.  FAs are expected to stay at the beach with the project for the entire period for which they are selected. 

Having said all that, the project stations are well equipped. You can expect to have a bed to sleep in, warm delicious food, to work with a group of 6-8 diverse individuals from around the world and local towns, to live right on a remote sea turtle nesting beach surrounded by diverse flora and fauna, to gain biological research and leadership experience, to participate in the conservation of an endangered species, and to test yourself physically and mentally in ways you have never done before.  Los Brasiles is truly a once in a lifetime experience.

ATTENTION:   FAs are expected to help cover food and project costs in the amount of US$150 per month as well as their costs to and from the project site. 

To apply (or for questions) send an email which includes:

1. Cover letter indicating:
   1. Position(s) for which you are applying
   2. Why you are interested in the position(s)
   3. Your strong points
2. CV/Resume

To:  David Melero

Beach Project Director

Sos Nicaragua

Email:             melero@sosnicaragua.org