[Coral-List] Fwd: WCS Madagascar position: coral reef and fisheries monitoring expert

Kaitlyn Sephton ksephton at wcs.org
Fri Dec 19 13:59:41 EST 2014


Position Announcement



*Coral Reef and Fisheries Monitoring Biologist*

*Location*: Antananarivo, Madagascar

*Closing date for applications: *January 11, 2015

*Contract*: 6 months consultancy contract, with possibility of renewal

*Start date*: ASAP



The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is an international NGO,
established in 1895, that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding
critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation
actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of
experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more
than 60 nations, and experience helping to create, expand, or propose over
245 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological
knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant,
wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with
local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address
species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the
quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct
utilization of natural resources.

The WCS Madagascar Program works throughout Madagascar to ensure the
long-term conservation of the country’s unique biological diversity with a
focus on activities in priority landscape (Makira Natural Park, Masoala
National Park) and three priority seascapes (Antongil Bay, Nosy Be seascape
and Toliara seascape). WCS achieves this through terrestrial and marine
protected area management, engagement with local communities to support
them to become effective stewards of natural resources, environmental
education, and a program of applied conservation science. WCS is working to
expand protected areas to cover 10 percent of the marine habitat in
Madagascar, in line with the Aichi targets of the UN Convention on
Biological Diversity. In our three seascapes, WCS has been working with the
government and local communities to establish, and improve management
effectiveness of, 28 community managed marine protected areas. WCS’s
monitoring program is designed to measure and report conservation impacts
over time. We use a simplified dashboard of marine indicators to monitor
the ecological and socioeconomic impacts of marine protected areas, using
indicators also being collected by WCS at coral reef sites globally.
Methods used include in-water reef surveys, fish landing site survey and
households surveys. In 2015 we will also trial the use of SMART (Spatial
Monitoring and Reporting Tool - http://www.smartconservationsoftware.org)
to support collection and analysis of threat data in real-time and optimize
planning of enforcement patrols.

WCS is currently seeking to hire a full time coral reef biologist to
support the implementation and development of its marine monitoring
program, including the analysis of data and publication of results, while
building capacity of local staff and partners.

*Duties and Responsibilities:*

Strengthen the capacity of the WCS team, through theoretical and practical
training, in coral reef and fisheries monitoring protocols, database
management, data analysis and scientific writing.


Support the WCS team in data entry and database management.



Assist WCS team in data analysis and in writing reports and scientific
manuscripts.


In collaboration with the WCS team, write a summary report on the context,
content and results of the WCS Madagascar monitoring program of marine
protected areas.



Develop the integrated monitoring plan for reef health, patrols and
fisheries for each intervention site.


Train WCS team and its partners (local communities, academics, conservation
organizations, diving clubs) in conducting reef and fisheries monitoring at
the 3 intervention sites.



Support WCS team in coordinating the participatory fisheries (monitoring of
landings by local fishermen) and coral reef (Reef Check monitoring made by
local diving clubs) monitoring system in each intervention site.



Conduct coral reef in-water surveys in marine protected areas of Nosy Be
and Antongil Bay seascapes.


Participate in the trial of SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool -
http://www.smartconservationsoftware.org) to support collection and
analysis of threat data in marine protected areas.



Contribute to the design and production of communication materials
(newsletter, brochures, posters, video etc.) highlighting the results of
the monitoring program.



Perform other related duties as assigned related to research and monitoring
activities of WCS marine program.



*Required qualifications:*


At least a Master's degree in marine biology

Experience in coral reef in-water surveys and fish landing site surveys

Experience with database management

Experience with ecological statistics

Familiarity with taxonomy of Indo-Pacific coral reef organisms,
particularly scleractinian corals and fishes

SCUBA certification level equivalent at least to PADI Advanced Open Water

Excellent verbal and written communications skills in English and French

Publishing experiences of scientific articles in peer reviewed journals

Expertise in the design and development of communication materials is an
asset

Great adaptability and autonomy

Good interpersonal skills and ability to listen

Strong interest in marine conservation

Able to travel frequently in the field


Application with a CV, cover letter and monthly fees expectations

to be sent before January 11, 2015,

to the following email addresses: abrenier at wcs.org and cramilison at wcs.org

(with the subject line “Reef Monitoring Position")


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