Field Assistant at Pacuare Reserve, Caribbean coast, Costa Rica

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 www.ecologyproject.org

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 www.pacuarereserve.org

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 ´s 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 ´s 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 ´s 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:

-  Being at least 22 years old.

-  Graduates of or close to graduating in 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 a 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 20^th to May 31^th; from May 22^th to August 15^th; from August 10^th to October 31^th. 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-Rodríguez, claudio.quesada@ecologyproject.org

For more information:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Goa-HEn9bY&t=2s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs81ioDASRg  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUUj0sGJaTw 

https://teletica.com/229949_vision-de-un-britanico-permitio-crear-un-importante-santuario-de-flora-y-fauna-en-el-caribe-nacional

https://www.teletica.com/Multimedia/Videos/1011810 

https://www.teletica.com/Multimedia/Videos/1011976    

- Please read more information about the position in the following link (https://www.pacuarereserve.org/c-r)

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 (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfg-ZgNdPPIr-ZdwY2GhVjtv-1VNT-8_2_khdr_JwH3UATzEA/viewform)