lundi 29 août 2011

Etude sur les comportements à risque accidentel des conducteurs novices

Ludivine GUéHO (ludivine.gueho [ à ] gmail.com) propose une expérience

- Dédommagement : non
- Dates de l'expérience : 08/08/2011
- Cloture du recrutement : 04/09/2011

- Description de l'expérience :
Effectuant une thèse en psychologie sociale sur les comportements à risque accidentel des conducteurs novices, je recherche des volonaires hommes, ayant le permis de conduire, pour un questionnaire en ligne durant 10 à 15 minutes.

Il vous est demandé de répondre le plus sincèrement possible à différentes questions relatives à votre comportement au volant. Plus précisément, il s'agit d'indiquer la fréquence à laquelle vous avez chacun des comportements décrits sur une échelle allant de 0 à 6.
Le questionnaire comporte également des questions d'informations générales.

L'enquète est entièrement anonyme.
Il n'existe ni bonne, ni mauvaise réponse.

Voici le lien du questionnaire en question : https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGRjSmxidFZHVXBHVFd3NDIxVHFTalE6MQ

Merci d'avance pour votre participation !

- Conditions :
- être un homme
- avoir son permis de conduire

- Lieu de déroulement :
questionnaire en ligne

- Laboratoire :
IFSTTAR
IFSTTAR- MA

- Personne à contacter :
Ludivine Guého

Postdoctoral position in zebrafish sensorimotor integration in MacIver and McLean laboratories

A two-year postdoctoral position (with the possibility of renewal) is available in the laboratories of Malcolm MacIver and David McLean at Northwestern University. The position will carry forward a NSF-funded project examining sensorimotor integration. More specificially, the project will examine the neural control of visually guided motor behaviors in zebrafish larvae.

The position builds on an ongoing highly productive collaboration between the MacIver and McLean laboratories involving strong graduate and undergraduate students. While the core effort will be in electrophysiological recording and stimulation, as well as single or multiphoton imaging of tectal and reticular formation circuits, there will be ample opportunities for additional work in quantitative behavioral research with high speed cameras, robotics, virtual reality techniques, computational modeling, and molecular and genetic techniques. Experience in electrophysiology is required. Prior experience with imaging and with MATLAB is a strong plus. Highly competitive salary and benefits are available and will be commensurate with experience.

Besides joining a rich and highly interactive environment for neuroscience with a strong engineering component at Northwestern University, Chicago is a outstanding city to call home. Please send a curriculum vitae, pdfs of representative prior papers, a letter of interest outlining experience and research goals, and the names and contact information for three references to maciver@northwestern.edu. Informal inquiries are also welcome.

For further information about the two laboratories, seeneuromech.northwestern.edu andneurobiology.northwestern.edu/facultypages/mclean/mclean.shtml.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer.

---------------------------------------------
Malcolm A. MacIver | Associate Professor |
Mechanical Engineering | Biomedical Engineering | Neurobiology
Northwestern University
http://www.neuromech.northwestern.edu

maciver@northwestern.edu 773.888.1760 (cloud/work/home/mobile/sms)
Office: http://is.gd/dBHyG Tech. Institute D157, 2145 Sheridan Rd.
Schedule: http://tungle.me/maciver | Discover Blog: http://is.gd/dBHsv
Mail Address: 2145 Sheridan Rd, Tech B224 // Evanston, IL 60208-3111 USA

dimanche 28 août 2011

Volunteer Field Assistant: Vervet Monkey Research in South Africa

Hiring Organization:
Maryjka Blaszczyk (Ph.D. candidate, New York University)

Date Posted:
2011-08-22

Position Description:
Seeking a volunteer field assistant to participate in a study of personality and social behavior in wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) in South Africa. This position involves helping with habituation of vervet monkeys and the collection of behavioral data during all day follows of vervet groups between dawn and dusk 5-6 days per week, and data organization in the evenings or on parts of off-days as needed. The study site is Soetdoring Nature Reserve, which is a 40 min drive from Bloemfontein, a city with hospitals, malls and other facilities. Accommodation will be in a room shared with another field assistant in a small town 15km from the reserve.

Successful applicants will be trained in all of the specific field methods to be employed in this study, and the position provides a good opportunity to gain experience in fieldwork and animal behavior research.

Qualifications/Experience:
Applicants should have had coursework in animal behavior, behavioural ecology, zoology, primatology or other relevant fields. Expertise in behavioral observation methods is not required, as successful applicants will receive training in the data collection methods used in this project. Some experience in field biology, is, however, preferred. The applicant should have experience in scientific research, and be able to follow protocols closely and collect data in a systematic fashion.

Applicants must be comfortable spending whole days in the field, often alone, and must be both physically and mentally fit for long and challenging workdays. Critical personal characteristics for this position are being a hard worker, being reliable and self-motivated, being able to follow instructions carefully, and being able to work independently. Applicants should be fluent in English.

Salary/funding:
None at present. We have applied for grants to cover living expenses for long-term field assistants (~ 1 year commitment), but will not know about the outcome of these grants until around January 2012. If successful, we will be hiring long-term field assistants to begin in January or February 2012, and previous or current volunteers will be preferred for these positions if interested.

Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):
At present applicants would be responsible for all expenses associated with the position, including flights to and from the field site ($1200 - $1700), visas, health and travel insurance, and food and accommodation. Accommodation will be approximately $ 150 per month, food and other living expenses depend on personal preferences but are expected to come to between $250 and $350 per month.

Term of Appointment:
Start date is as soon as possible. A commitment of 6 months or longer preferred, although we will also consider shorter-term applicants, e.g. September to December 2011. We will not be working on the project for 2 - 3 weeks over the holidays (from the middle to the end of December), so longer-term applicants should plan for this accordingly.

Application Deadline:
Until position is filled.

Comments:
To apply, please email the following to mbb348@nyu.edu:

(1) A cover letter explaining why you are interested in this position and why you are suitable, including your previous experience, qualifications, and future career goals. Please also state your availability (duration and available start date).
(2) Your CV, including contact information.
(3) Contact details of at least two references. Your references should preferably be people who have supervised you in a research capacity (professors or research supervisors) and who will be able to provide information about your experience, training, and suitability for fieldwork.

Contact Information:
Maryjka Blaszczyk
South Africa

E-mail Address:
mbb348@nyu.edu

mercredi 24 août 2011

Educateur/Educatrice à l’environnement.

Dans le cadre de ses activités, l’association PERCHE NATURE – Perche et Vallée du Loir- (www.perchenature.org) , association de protection de la nature et de l’environnement dans le Perche et la Vallée du Loir, recrute un/e Educateur/Educatrice à l’environnement.

La personne embauchée aura la gestion du secteur éducation à l’environnement au sein de l’association.

Durée et type de contrat : CDI temps plein

Niveau d’études : BAC+2

Thématique : Education environnement – EEDD

Région : Centre

Ville : Mondoubleau (41).

Date de début du contrat : 02/11/2011

Date limite de réponse : 15/09/2011

PERCHE NATURE – Perche et Vallée du Loir -
4 rue Saint-Denis
Maison Consigny
0254801105
perche.nature@wanadoo.fr
www.perchenature.org
www.gestiondifferenciee41.fr

Funded MPhil/ PhD studentship in “The prediction of human sociability in the domestic cat”

As a result of a generous donation from the International Fund for Cat Welfare (IFCW) of the charity The Feline Advisory Bureau (FAB), following a gift from the Centre of Applied Pet Ethology (COAPE). The Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Lincoln (UK) welcomes applications from outstanding, enthusiastic and highly-motivated students from the EU (fully-funded) and worldwide (fees only). Funding for progression to a PhD is contingent upon satisfactory progress within the first 12 months of the project. The projects will involve extensive field work with cats in a variety of settings and so excellent communication skills, an ability to drive and a willingness to work irregular hours (including weekends) will be essential. The successful candidates will join a thriving and dynamic research environment, and will receive higher level training in clinical behaviour management, behavioural methods, experimental design, data handling and statistical analysis.

Supervisory team: Professor Daniel Mills, Dr Sarah Ellis, Dr Anna Wilkinson

This project is aimed ultimately at allowing the reliable prediction of the risk of human directed aggression by domestic cats and the prognosis for treatment of individual cases. Aggressive behaviour towards humans is the expression of many different emotional states, some of which may interact within an individual at any given time e.g. fear and frustration, while others are more independent e.g. appetitive SEEKING behaviour (sensu Panksepp 1998) and fear; the threshold of expression may vary with both underlying state (i.e. positive or negative affective mood) and temperament. This makes the reliable prediction of human directed aggression in cats a particularly challenging problem, since a simple behavioural test may reflect only the tendency towards aggression in one particular circumstance or the animal’s mood at that time rather than the more stable and general trait that it may purport to assess (Taylor and Mills 2006).
Much current knowledge of the ethology of feline aggressive behaviour is derived from the pioneering work of Leyhausen (1979). While this early work was ground breaking at its time, it was conceptually flawed, resulting in an ethogram which confused motivational states with behavioural descriptions. Thus aggression (a behaviour which can have multiple underlying emotional motivations) is described in opposition to fear (confounding the fact that fear can be expressed as a form of aggressive behaviour).
Therefore the first objective of the current study is to undertake a rigorous behavioural analysis of interaction of cats with people in a range of settings associated with the induction of different emotional states. The second objective is to develop and rationalise tests to assess human sociability in the domestic cat, in accordance with the protocol outlined in Taylor and Mills (2006). The third objective is to apply and assess intervention measures aimed at reducing the risk of human directed aggression from individual cats identified as “at risk” in order to provide precise prognostic information relating to this problem.
Informal enquiries can be made to Dr Wilkinson awilkinson@lincoln.ac.uk

Funding Notes

Successful candidates will be referred to as the “International Fund for Cat Welfare/ Centre for Applied Pet Ethology Scholar” (IFCW/COAPE) in all communications relating to the activity of their post and be expected to be ambassadors for the promotion of excellence in feline welfare in all their activities.

Applications for these positions are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Candidates must hold or expect to obtain a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (or equivalent) in the life science. Preference will be given to candidates with advanced training (e.g. MSc) in the key skills required for the successful completion of this project. The applicant must meet the minimum standard entry requirements for postgraduate courses: www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/postgraduate/entry_postgrad.htm.

Hands-on behavioural research experience will be an advantage, but full training will be provided for all techniques used. Post holders will be expected to contribute to the wider academic activity of the Department as part of their role. Applications will be reviewed from August 21st with initial interviews scheduled for early September but the position will remain open until filled. It is anticipated that the post-holder will commence in October 2011.

Application Process.

Students need to apply using the University of Lincoln application process (http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/postgraduate/application.htm). In addition to completing the application form, applicants should submit a CV detailing relevant skills and experiences and a covering letter highlighting their aptitude for the post.

Offre de volontariat : photo-identification et travail de terrain sur une population de grands dauphins en Normandie

Le Groupe d’Etude des Cétacés du Cotentin, GECC, propose d’accueillir des volontaires pour s’investir dans le travail de photo-identification de la population de grands dauphins vivant dans le golfe normand-breton.

Contexte
Le GECC a pour objectif l’étude et la préservation des mammifères marins en mer de la Manche.
Une des plus importantes populations de grands dauphins d’Europe vit dans le golfe normand-breton. Un travail de photo-identification a débuté en 2004, ce qui a permis d’identifier plus de 700 individus différents. Depuis le début de l’année 2011 un projet d’étude de 3 ans et une thèse ont débuté sur cette population.

Description de l’offre
Le travail consiste à nous aider dans l’identification des individus sur ordinateur et dans la prise de données sur le terrain quand les conditions météorologiques le permettent. Précisons, cependant, qu’il n’est pas rare de ne pas pouvoir sortir en mer pendant plusieurs jours d’affilés. Le GECC offre l’hébergement aux volontaires. L’ensemble des frais liés à l’étude sont pris en charge par l’association.
Compétences requises
Aucune compétence particulière n’est requise, mais il est bon de savoir que ce travail demande de l’autonomie, de la patience et surtout d’être très méticuleux.

Dates
Nous cherchons des volontaires à partir du mois de septembre 2011, pour une durée minimale de deux mois. Cette offre est valable tout au long de l’année durant trois ans à partir de septembre 2011.

Pour plus d’informations et nous soumettre votre candidature veuillez contacter François Gally, directeur du GECC à l’adresse suivante : gecc@hotmail.fr

samedi 20 août 2011

Job opening at Stanford

The Stanford University Department of Biology is conducting a search for a tenure-track faculty appointment in Neural Circuits and Behavior, at the Assistant Professor level. The attached job advertisement includes a description of the position. We are searching for candidates who will develop an outstanding research program and excel at undergraduate and graduate teaching.

We would appreciate any recommendations that you may have of outstanding persons who may be potential candidates for this tenure-track position. Given the serious commitment Stanford has to the diversity of its faculty, we particularly welcome applications from women and members of minority groups, as well as others who would contribute additional diversity.

Thank you for your help in bringing this position to the attention of appropriate candidates at your institution.

Russ Fernald
Chair, Search Committee

Russell D. Fernald
Professor of Biology
Benjamin Scott Crocker Professor
Mimi and Peter Haas Fellow in Undergraduate Education
316 Gilbert Hall
371 Serra Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-5020

;;;;;

Department of Biology Faculty Position in Neural Circuits and Behavior

The Department of Biology at Stanford University invites applications for a tenure track faculty position at the Assistant Professor rank. We seek applicants interested in neural circuits and behavior. Examples of interest areas include, but are not limited to, the genetic dissection of neural circuits underlying perception and behavior using state--‐of--‐the art techniques in electrophysiology, imaging and/or manipulation of intact neural circuits in a behavioral context.

The successful candidate should hold a Ph.D., and is expected to develop a vigorous research program and to participate in the Department’s teaching activities at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. More information about the Department and the University can be found at http://biology.stanford.edu/.

All applicants should submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae including publication list, a statement of research accomplishments and future plans, a description of teaching experience, and three letters of reference. Please apply at AcademicJobsOnline . Inquiries may be directed to Faculty Searches, Dept. of Biology, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, or to biochair@stanford.edu.

Applicant materials must be received by October 15, 2011. The appointment would begin September 1, 2012.

Stanford University is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty. It welcomes nominations of and applications from women and members of minority groups, as well as others who would bring additional dimensions to the university’s research, teaching, and clinical mission.

PhD studentship in Animal Cognition available at Exeter


A new studentship is being advertised within the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter (located in the School of Psychology, on the Streatham campus in Exeter).  The studentship is for 5 years, and is expected to allow a student to complete a PhD under part-time registration, while at the same time working 2 days per weeks assisting Professor Stephen Lea in the editing of a major international journal in the area of animal cognition.  The financial package is worth £11,500 per year, and some assistance with university fees may also be available.  The studentship is specifically intended for research work in animal visual cognition, at least initially involving complex visual learning in pigeons.  Further details, including the application procedure, can be found at
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/studying/funding/award/?id=846 .  The closing date for applications is 30th August 2011; informal enquiries should be sent to Stephen Lea at s.e.g.lea@exeter.ac.uk, by 23rd August.

---------------------------------------------

Professor Stephen Lea, AcSS

Psychology (College of Life and Environmental Sciences)

University of Exeter

Washington Singer Laboratories

Exeter EX4 4QG

United Kingdom

Phone +44 1392 724612, Fax +44 1392 724623, http://people.exeter.ac.uk/SEGLea

Research Assistant – LuiKotale Bonobo Project

Hiring Organization:
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology


Position Description:
I am looking for a field assistant to assist with data collection for my Ph.D.
project on female mate choice and mating strategies in bonobos (Pan paniscus) at LuiKotale - a long-term field site near Salonga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This study is part of an ongoing project and all collected data will be handed over at the end of the appointment; therefore, this position is not suitable for candidates looking to pursue individual projects. The research assistant will be trained on site, and will learn to identify individual bonobos in a habituated community of bonobos. The assistant will work alongside an existing team of personnel, recording detailed behavioural observations and collecting faecal and urine samples.
Fieldwork includes long-distance walking through very difficult terrain, and the assistant should be prepared to work long days, sometimes from dawn to dusk, in all weather conditions. Information about the field site and research activities at LuiKotale is available at http://www.eva.mpg.de/primat/files/bonobo.htm . This position will provide the successful applicant with an excellent opportunity to gain extended fieldwork experience with detailed behavioural research.

Qualifications/Experience:
Essential requirements are: (1) field experience, preferably in a tropical climate; (2) above average physical fitness and tolerance of demanding physical conditions; (3) above average resistance to social/psychological stress; and (4) the ability to live in a very remote and basic camp, and work with an international team of students, volunteers and local staff.

Candidates should have: (1) practical and technical skills required for orientation and navigation in the forest (e.g., experience with GPS units and compass reading); (2) strong social skills and patience; (3) high degree of self-motivation and responsibility; (4) respect for and willingness to adapt to local customs; and (5) up-to-date awareness of the current situation in DRC, including potential health and safety risks associated with working in DRC. Candidates with field research experience in Africa, animal behavioural research experience, and knowledge of French will be preferred.

Salary/funding:
300 Euros/month

Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):
- Food (a variety of local foods with limited western food items)
- Lodging (in tents under thatched roofs) at the field site
- Airfare and airport tax for one domestic return flight from Kinshasa to the field site
- Contribution of up to 800 Euros for an international return flight (reimbursement ONLY AFTER successful completion of a 9-MONTH term of
appointment)
- Expenses for visa (reimbursement ONLY AFTER successful completion of a 9- MONTH term of appointment)
* Please note that expenses during the stay in Kinshasa on the way in/out of D.R. Congo cannot be covered by the project.

Term of Appointment:
9 months starting in March 2012

Application Deadline:
October 1, 2011

Comments:
To apply, please send: (1) a letter of interest/motivation; (2) your CV or resume detailing relevant experience; and (3) names and e-mail addresses of two people who would be willing to provide references to heidi_douglas@eva.mpg.de by the October 1st deadline.

Contact Information:
Pamela Heidi Douglas
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6 Leipzig, none 04103 Germany

Telephone Number:
++49 (0) 341 3550 264

Fax Number:
++49 (0) 341 3550 299

Website:
http://www.eva.mpg.de/primat/files/bonobo.htm

E-mail Address:
heidi_douglas@eva.mpg.de

Filoha Hamadryas Project Field Managers

Hiring Organization:
Filoha Hamadryas Project, Dept of Anthropology, Queens College, City University of New York

Position Description:
We are seeking two volunteers to co-manage a long-term study of the behavior, ecology, and reproduction of hamadryas baboons at the Filoha study site in the lowlands of central Ethiopia (http://www.baboonsonline.org/filoha). The position would be for a minimum of ten months, but could be for longer if desired. Responsibilities would include maintaining habituation of the study group through daily follows (5-15 km/day), daily census of the study group, collection of behavioral and reproductive data, collection of fecal samples, and transmission of reports to the project director via e-mail. Ideally, we would like to find two volunteers to share this position. Volunteers would always be accompanied by our local field assistant and/or a local guard or park scout while following baboons, as dictated by park regulations.

The study area is hot and dry (averaging 94 degrees F) for most of the year and the baboons often travel quickly over very rough terrain. The living conditions at Filoha are simple and rugged: we sleep in tents, cook on kerosene stoves, and bathe in the local hot springs. The field site is a remote outpost of the Awash National Park, so contact with the outside world is minimal and social interaction is limited to project personnel and park scouts. The area experiences occasional ethnic conflict, during which time baboon follows are suspended.

Monthly expenses can range from $200 to $400 per person and vary depending on the frequency of trips to town and whether volunteer subsists on local fare or relies or more expensive (imported) canned and packaged foods. Food expenses are the responsibility of the volunteer. A cook will be available and paid from project funds. Prior to departure, volunteers would need to arrange for Ethiopian visa, vaccines, anti-malarial prophylaxis, and travel insurance (for medical evacuation).

Depending on length of stay, amount of data collected, and other intellectual contributions to the project, these positions could potentially lead to co- authorship on one or more publications.

Qualifications/Experience:
Volunteers need to be physically fit and able to hike quickly and collect data under the conditions described above. Volunteers also must be able to drive a manual transmission (stick-shift) vehicle and, ideally, will have had previous experience driving and/or coping with mechanical problems in a remote area.
Malaria is endemic to the area, so volunteers must be willing to use insect repellent and take anti-malarial prophylaxis so as to minimize the chances of contracting malaria. Due to the remoteness of the field site and the lack of communication infrastructure (e.g., no telephones, no internet), volunteers must also be of sound physical and mental health without any pre-existing conditions that might require immediate medical attention. Volunteers must also be able and willing to maintain professional relationships with people of varied cultural backgrounds and cope with disruptions to fieldwork due to ethnic conflict and other factors out of one’s control.

The ideal candidate for this position would have the following
characteristics:
* Ability to withstand – and enjoy! – rugged and remote field conditions.
* Ability to adapt to the local cultural milieu and represent the project in a professional manner.
* Previous international field experience that includes living or traveling in a developing country.
* Previous experience collecting observational data on behavioral biology or ecology.
* Prior coursework on (and knowledge of) primate behavior and ecology.
* Excellent physical and mental health.

In addition to the above, the successful applicant will be flexible, adaptable, patient, emotionally mature, responsible, self-reliant, energetic, and highly motivated. To reiterate, living conditions are rough and remote, and to survive fieldwork at Filoha you must enjoy these aspects of fieldwork.

Salary/funding:
This is a volunteer position, so no salary is available. Some expenses will be reimbursed (see below).

Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):
Upon successful completion of the first six months of fieldwork, each volunteer will be reimbursed for the cost of their airfare to Ethiopia and their travel insurance (up to a maximum of $2000). An additional $1000 for reimbursement of other expenses may be available depending on grant funds.
Site fees will be covered by the project.

Term of Appointment:
The position begins immediately (August 2011 or as soon as possible
thereafter) and at least a 10-month commitment is required. As mentioned above, no expenses will be reimbursed until volunteer has spent six months at Filoha, so travel expenses (airfare, visa, vaccines, malaria prophylaxis, travel insurance) will need to be covered by the volunteer in advance.

Application Deadline:
Starting August 15, 2011, applications will be considered as they are received until suitable candidates are found.

Comments:
Applicants should submit by e-mail a letter of application describing your background, experience, and qualifications and explaining why you are interested in this position. Please also supply a CV listing your prior coursework, grades, and research experience along with the names and contact information (including e-mail addresses and phone numbers) of at least two people who can attest to your qualifications. Please send your correspondence via email to Larissa Swedell (LSwedell@qc.edu) and re-send if you do not receive a reply within a week.

Contact Information:
Larissa Swedell
Anthropology, Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd Flushing, NY 11367-1597 USA

Telephone Number:
718-997-2897

Fax Number:
718-997-2885

Website:
http://www.baboonsonline.org/swedell

E-mail Address:
LSwedell@qc.edu

mardi 16 août 2011

Poste (CDI) de Chargé(e) de projets Taxons-Flore

La Fédération des Conservatoires botaniques nationaux (FCBN) recrute un(e) "Chargé(e) de projets Taxons-Flore" en CDI pour renforcer son équipe scientifique et technique basée à Montreuil-sous-bois (93) en région parisienne.

Profil recherché :
- Formation Bac + 5 minimum, avec solide expérience dans le domaine de la taxonomie botanique ;

Les candidatures de Docteur-e-s en botanique seront particulièrement bienvenues.

Voir l'annonce précise du poste sur :
http://www.tela-botanica.org/actu/article4531.html

Volunteer Research Assistant for a PhD student

Hiring Organization:
Andrea Donaldson

Date Posted:
2011-08-11

Position Description:
Background Information and Position Description
The Colobus Trust, Kenya, facilitates the rescue and rehabilitation of confiscated, orphaned and injured animals and where feasible their return to the wild. It is from this base I am conducting my PhD data collection and require 2 – 3 field assistants to assist in this process.

In September 2011, data collection will begin. One research assistant is required to collect comparative and baseline data on the wild Sykes and vervet troops in Diani. The study troops have already been selected and habituated and are waiting a dedicated volunteer to collect behavioural and feeding ecology data over an 18 month period. A second research assistant is required to collect data on the primates scheduled for release, both pre-release while still captive and once released. Once released each troop of primates will be monitored daily for 12 months by a research team, collecting twice daily census information, behavioural focal follows, including feeding ecology and recording all wildlife interactions.

The release programme is based in Diani, Kenya and offers a unique opportunity to live in a beautiful beach and forested area, with many western comforts. Our accommodation has been kindly supplied by The Colobus Trust, and comprises unisex bedrooms in a communal house, hot/cold showers, 3 meals a day, laundry and housekeeping. There is good mobile phone and internet coverage, and using Sarfricom, the local network supplier, text messages to the UK are very cheap (approx 8p). This accommodation is also used for the Colobus Trust volunteer programme, and as such there may be up to 8 people sharing the facilities at any one time. Many of the volunteers on this programme are not serious researches and as such will be performing different duties and working different hours. Any researcher accepting this position needs to be aware of these differences.

Field time will be scheduled as 6 days a week, working 8-12 hours per day. Data collection periods will rotate between 6am-12noon and 12noon-6pm (4 days per week) allowing 1-2 hours a day for travel to and from the research site, phenology work, reliability tests and inputting the data, on a daily basis, on to the database. Full day follows, 6am-6pm will be conducted 2 days per week, Holidays will be formulated dependant on your terms of commitment, but will be loosely based around 4 week’s holiday per year. As this data is going to be used as baseline information for a PhD thesis, researchers are not permitted to take the data away, nor use it for any form of personal analysis.

This is a volunteer position and as such no wage or stipend is currently available. The volunteer is responsible for their return flight to Mombasa, visa, which will need extending after 3 months for an additional 3 months, comprehensive travel and medical insurance, food and accommodation as mentioned above (approx 70 Euros per week, eating a local food diet), all field clothing, including adequate walking boots. Please note that if funding applications are successful then the project will cover all food and accommodation cost – however, no funding is currently secured.

Qualifications/Experience:
Qualifications and Experience
Essential requirements
1. Experience of working on a scientific research project, collecting and working systematically with data, ideally an observational/behavioural project
2. Significant foreign travel or living/work experience, within a developing country and ideally the tropics
3. Interest in animal behaviour, conservation and welfare, and preferably a university level qualification in animal behaviour, primate conservation, zoology or other relevant subject
4. There are 4 positions available, each looking for a six month long commitment. However, consideration will be given to candidates looking for a shorter commitment period, although a minimum of 3 months is required.
In addition, applicants must have certain QUALITIES: they must be energetic, patient, open, responsible, flexible, healthy, able to work independently but also as part of a team, be highly motivated and not easily distracted by the holiday mentality found here in Diani. Applicants must also be hardworking and able to keep going, and do so cheerfully! Our schedule is demanding and unconventional (6 days work, 1 day off), up to 12 hrs field time per day and no guarantee of getting lunch, but monkeys permitting we try our best. The position is not ideal for someone who needs a lot of personal time, or for someone who easily feels lonely. The ideal applicant must be comfortable being unplugged and a distance from easy communication with the outside world, although there is good mobile phone and e-mail communication, but sometimes things just don't work. They must also have above average resistance to social/psychological stress with a tolerance towards local customs and beliefs and be comfortable with other conditions and risks that are simply part of tropical fieldwork, such as limited healthcare, monotonous diet, rare confrontations with noxious plants or animals. This is very intense work - if your main goal is not gaining scientific research experience, you will probably not be happy in this position.

Salary/funding:
This is a volunteer position and as such no wage or stipend is currently available. The volunteer is responsible for their return flight to Mombasa, visa, which will need extending after 3 months for an additional 3 months, comprehensive travel and medical insurance, food and accommodation as mentioned above (approx 70 Euros per week, eating a local food diet), all field clothing, including adequate walking boots. Please note that if funding applications are successful then the project will cover all food and accommodation cost – however, no funding is currently secured.

Term of Appointment:
ASAP - May 2013

Contact Information:
Andrea Donaldson
Kenya

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

FIELD COURSE IN SHARK BIOLOGY (7 DAYS - JANUARY 2012)

ENCOUNTER WITH THE GREAT SHARKS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Apex Shark Expeditions and Alessandro De Maddalena organize a field course in South Africa, where the participants will encounter great white sharks, mako sharks, blue sharks, cow sharks and other shark species in their habitat and learn about biology of these predators. This is the sixth edition of this field course, after the great success of the previous editions. This is an important opportunity to learn more about these large predators from three of the world's foremost shark experts: Alessandro De Maddalena, Chris Fallows and Monique Fallows. Chris and Monique Fallows' Apex Shark Expeditions ( apexpredators.com ) is the foremost company for the observation of great white sharks in South Africa.

Apex Shark Expeditions has worked with many research institutes and with the foremost media (BBC, CNN, National Geographic, etc.). Alessandro De Maddalena ( alessandro-demaddalena.webs.com ), is one of the major shark experts in the world, he is the author of a hundred articles in popular and scientific magazines and sixteen books on sharks.

We take a maximum of 11 guests for the January 2012 field course. Departure from Europe on January 1 and arrival to Europe on January 9 (7 days course in South Africa). Departure and arrival from most important European airports can be arranged. The cost of the package varies depending by the departure airport, fly taxes and variations of the Euro-Rand change but it is approximately Euro 3200.
The cost includes:
- flight with KLM from most important European cities to Amsterdam to Cape Town and back,
- land transport,
- 7 nights accomodation, including 6 nights in Simon’s Town, at The Grosvenor, and 1 night in Gansbaai, at Nell's B&B, 
- course on biology, ethology and ecology of sharks teached by Dottor Alessandro De Maddalena,
- 3 trips to observe great white sharks from the boat in the inshore waters of the False Bay with Apex Shark Expeditions,
- 2 trips to observe great white sharks and, weather permitting, cage dive off Gansbaai with Marine Dynamics,
- 1 trip to observe shortfin mako sharks and blue sharks and, weather permitting, cage dive off Cape Point with Apex Shark Expeditions (from Simon's Town),
- 1 trip to freedive (for both scuba divers and snorkelers) with cow sharks and some endemic shark species, at Pyramid Rock in the False Bay, with Pisces Divers,
- 1 helicopter trip to spot great white sharks in the False Bay, 
- all dive gear,
- possibility to observe many other marine animals (Cape fur seals, common dolphins, Southern Right and Brydes whales, tunas, African penguins and many other sea brids),
- light lunch and snacks on board. 

All trips are weather dependant. Everyone can dive, no scuba qualification is needed.
Bookings and program: a-demaddalena@tiscali.it
Information: http://www.corsi-squali-sudafrica.webs.com
Photos: © Chris Fallows / Apex Shark Expeditions, Jacques de Vos.

mardi 9 août 2011

Projet de doctorat - Écologie évolutive de la Mésange bleue

Nous cherchons un étudiant au PhD pour joindre notre équipe de recherche constituée de chercheurs du département de biologie l’Université de Sherbrooke, Québec Canada et du Centre d’écologie fonctionnelle et évolutive à Montpellier, France.
Le projet proposé portera sur l’analyse de pressions de sélection agissant sur les traits reproducteurs dans des populations suivies à long terme de mésanges bleues (Cyanistes caeruleus) en Corse, France. Le projet
bénéficiera de données phénotypiques et de pedigree récoltés sur des périodes de 10 à 35 ans pour établir la force et la variabilité de la sélection dans habitats contrastés et à différentes échelles du paysage. Une approche de génétique quantitative pourra permettre de relier les patrons de sélection aux (co)variances génétiques des traits reproducteur, de manière à explorer le potentiel évolutif de ces caractères.
Le candidat retenu sera inscrit en cotutelle à l’Université de Sherbrooke et à l’Université de Montpellier II. Les travaux de terrain se dérouleront chaque année d’avril à juin en Corse. Idéalement, le candidat aura de l’expérience avec les travaux de terrain, avec la manipulation d’oiseaux et de bonnes connaissances en écologie évolutive et en biostatistiques.
Le poste est financé pour 3 ans à compter de janvier 2012 au plus tôt.
Veuillez envoyer un CV, une lettre de motivation et les coordonnées de deux références avant le 7 octobre 2011 à Dany.Garant@Usherbrooke.ca

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We are a seeking a motivated PhD student to join our research team involving researchers from the Department of Biology at the Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada and from the Centre d’écologie fonctionnelle et évolutive, Montpellier, France.
The proposed project will investigate natural selection acting on reproductive traits using long-term datasets with phenotypic and pedigree data collected in populations of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) in Corsica, France. The project will benefit from data gathered over 10 to 35 years in natural populations to establish the strength and variability of selection across contrasted environments and at different geographical scales. Aquantitative genetic approach will allow to link these selection patterns with genetic co(variances) displayed by reproductive traits, providing insights into evolutionary potentials of these characters.
The selected candidate will share his time between the Université de Sherbrooke and Université de Montpellier II. The fieldwork in Corsica will take place every year from April to June. Ideally, the candidate will have previous research and fieldwork experiences; skills in handling birds would also be an advantage. A good background in evolutionary ecology and biostatistics is also desirable.
The position is funded for three years, starting as soon as January 2012.
Please apply by sending your CV, including the email addresses of two referees, and a letter of motivation by 7 October 2011 to Dany.Garant@Usherbrooke.ca

vendredi 5 août 2011

Chargé de recherche – Paris

CIWF France

Salaire : environ 30 000 € (en fonction de l’expérience et des qualifications)

Type de contrat : CDI

Poste à pourvoir rapidement

Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), l’organisation internationale de référence dédiée au bien-être des animaux d’élevage, recrute un Chargé de recherche pour la France au sein de son département agroalimentaire.

Le département agroalimentaire de CIWF a pour but d’encourager et d’accompagner les entreprises qui s’engagent en faveur du bien-être animal. En tant que Chargé de recherche, vous aurez pour mission de concevoir, développer et gérer diverses activités de recherche, avec une priorité donnée aux projets en lien avec le secteur agroalimentaire. Vous travaillerez avec des acteurs variés des milieux agricole, agroalimentaire, académique et politique et développerez divers supports techniques et scientifiques dans le but de promouvoir une agriculture durable et une meilleure prise en compte du bien-être animal dans le secteur agroalimentaire.

Vous travaillerez étroitement avec le reste de l’équipe française ainsi qu’avec les départements agroalimentaire et recherche du siège. Vous travaillerez sous l’autorité du Chargé des affaires agroalimentaires pour la France.

Compétences requises :
Niveau Master, diplôme d’ingénieur agro/agri, vétérinaire ou équivalent
Connaissances techniques approfondies en productions animales et en bien-être animal
Expérience et compétences avérées dans le domaine de la recherche scientifique
Capacités d’expression écrite et orale avérées, auprès de diverses audiences et au moyen de différents supports de communication
Capacité à mener des activités scientifiques et des projets de recherche dans des domaines variés
Capacité à travailler en équipe et à gérer plusieurs projets simultanément
Très bon niveau d’anglais

Candidatures :
Si vous souhaitez postuler, merci d’envoyer votre CV en français ET en anglais accompagné d’une lettre de motivation (en français) à :
adam@easywebrecruitment.com

Field assistant: Ecologie comportementale chez le suricate

Cambridge University, UK

Recherche Volontaires et/ou Etudiant(e)s en Biologie/Ecologie pour un stage de terrain en Afrique du Sud (Kalahari) de fin octobre à décembre 2011.

Intitulé du projet - Communication olfactive chez le suricate.

Contenu du projet :
- Expériences comportementales de discrimination/reconnaissance olfactive
- Observation des comportements de marquage odorant
- Aide à la capture, anesthésie et récolte de sécrétions odorantes

Lieu : Ranch dans le sud du Kalahari (Afrique du Sud)
http://www.kalahari-meerkats.com/

Pas de rémunération (avion, nourriture et logement non pris en charge). Prévoir un total d'environ 8€ par jour pour la nourriture et le logement.

Profil recherché :
- Volontaire(s) et/ou étudiant(e)s en biologie/écologie ayant un intérêt particulier pour l’écologie comportementale.
- Sociable et autonome, rigoureux dans le suivi de protocoles scientifiques, ayant déjà travaillé avec des animaux en milieu naturel de préférence.
- Une bonne maîtrise de l’anglais est indispensable
- Passeport en règle nécessaire

Envoyer CV et lettre de motivation par email à :

Sarah Leclaire
Cambridge University
sarahlecl@hotmail.com

lundi 1 août 2011

Poste d’Assistant Ingénieur (AI)

En écologie chimique et comportementale  sur le frelon asiatique

Dans le cadre du projet de recherche « FRELON » financé par le Conseil Régional de la Région Centre, nous disposons d’un poste d’assistant ingénieur (AI) financé pour 36 mois à partir d’octobre 2011.

Le projet « FRELON » vise à acquérir des informations sur la biologie et l’écologie d’une nouvelle espèce invasive, le frelon asiatique (Vespa velutina nigrithorax), arrivée en France vers 2004. Cette espèce pose de nombreux problèmes, tant écologiques (c’est un prédateur de nombreux insectes), économiques (les ouvrières chassent les abeilles et sont capables de vider des ruches) que de santé humaine (risques de piqures et d’accidents). Outre l’obtention de données scientifiques, le projet tentera de mettre au point un piège sélectif contre cette espèce, sans impact sur le reste de l’entomofaune, pour protéger les ruchers et les personnes (sur des places de marché, des écoles, etc.).

La personne retenue travaillera au sein de l’équipe ISEC à l’IRBI sur différents aspects abordés au cours du projet. Elle profitera ainsi des compétences des divers membres de l’équipe. Elle réalisera des expériences en écologie chimique (analyses des signatures chimiques coloniales et de castes des frelons, recherche de phéromones spécifiques, et utilisera pour ce faire des techniques de chromatographie en phase gazeuse), des expériences comportementales en laboratoire (tunnel de vol) et sur le terrain (RFID). La personne pourra être amenée aussi à se déplacer sur divers sites régionaux pour collecter des échantillons de frelons.

Formations recommandées : biologie, biochimie, biologie du comportement ou physiologie

Expérience souhaitée :
- Connaissance des insectes ; une connaissance particulière des insectes sociaux serait un plus.
- Connaissances en écologie chimique et /ou éthologie.
- Manipulation et expériences sur des insectes.
- Rigueur et motivation pour le travail de laboratoire et de terrain.

Les candidats peuvent envoyer leur CV et une lettre de motivation via email à eric.darrouzet@univ-tours.fr, jusqu’à la mi septembre.

L’audition des candidats retenus aura lieu fin septembre.

Pour plus d’information, contacter :
Eric Darrouzet
Université de Tours, Faculté des Sciences
Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte (IRBI)
UMR CNRS 6035
Parc de Grandmont
37200 Tours, France
Tél: (33) 02 47 36 71 60 / 06 03 49 96 09
E-mail: eric.darrouzet@univ-tours.fr