Research Coordinator

 

The Ozouga Chimpanzee Project (https://www.ozouga.org/; OCP) is seeking a passionate and dedicated Research Coordinator/Camp manager for our ongoing long-term project in the Loango NP, Gabon. The person will be in charge of camp management, logistics, communication and coordination of data collection for different research projects. This includes organizing working schedules and payments for local field assistants, organizing food and other supplies, maintenance of camp infrastructure, communication with the National Park authorities (ANPN) and the National Research Institute (CENAREST). The camp manager is also in charge of processing and maintaining the sample collection ranging from urine, feces, plants, tissue and bones on a daily basis. The living conditions at this project are basic. Our camp has only basic amenities (no running water, solar power for electricity, no Internet). The Loango National Park is located on the coast of Gabon and consists of several ecosystems including coastal forest and swamps.

 

Qualifications:

Essential requirements are: (1) profound experience with behavioral data collection and analysis of chimpanzees, (2) field experience preferentially with primates and in tropical/remote areas, (3) proficient language skills (French and English), (4) above average resistance to social/psychological stress, (5) practical and technical skills required to maintain the camps technical infrastructure (e.g., solar electricity, satphone, cybertracker software), (6) the ability to achieve tasks by improvisation, and flexibility, using limited resources that are available, (7) the capacity to live and work with an international team of students, assistants and local staff. Candidates should have strong social skills, a sense of leadership, a strong motivation to take responsibility and tolerance to local costumes. (8) Qualification in zoology, biology will be preferred, (9) Experience driving a quad bike is an asset.

 

The successful candidate will be required to have basic health insurance that also covers emergency repatriation and liability. They must also provide valid proof for vaccinations against measles, yellow fever, hepatitis A and B, polio, and meningitis and a negative TB test.

 

Note that the OCP adheres strictly to gender equality and will not tolerate any form of sexual harassment.

 

Salary/funding:

2.500 Euro/month

 

Support provided for position

-        per diem for travel

-        lap top

-        food and accommodation in a single hut at the field site

-        domestic transportation

-        international return flight (reimbursement ONLY AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A 12 MONTHS TERM OF APPOINTMENT)

 

Term of Appointment: min. 12 months, starting March 2026-Feb. 2027

 

Application deadline: 05.02.2026

 

Contact Information:

Please apply by sending a motivation letter, a CV (including your experience with behavioural data collection and management), and contact information for two references to Dr. Tobias Deschner (td@ozouga.org) and Prof. Simone Pika (sp@ozouga.org). We will start evaluating the applications on February 10th, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.

Two Field Assistant Positions

 

Join the Ozouga Chimpanzee Project Team! Two Field Assistant Positions Available

 

The Ozouga Chimpanzee Project (https://www.ozouga.org/; OCP) is seeking two passionate and dedicated field assistants to join our team to help in collecting behavioural data on wild Central-African chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes). Together with an international and local team, the candidates will be responsible for the collection and management of research data, as well as for the day-to-day maintenance of equipment

About Us:

The OCP is a research initiative committed to the conservation and study of chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Located in the Loango National Park, our project aims to unravel the complexities of chimpanzee behavior, behavioural diversity, cognition, social dynamics, and ecological interactions.

The Loango National Park is located along the Atlantic coast of Gabon and consists of several ecosystems including primary and secondary forests, coastal forests, swamps and mangroves. The Ozouga field sites is roughly 40 km from the nearest village, Iguela, on an open savannah surrounded by forest. 

Living conditions are extremely basic. There is no running water, very limited phone coverage and internet access, and basic solar power for electricity. Team members live in wooden huts and food is local and basic.

The Position

We are looking for two enthusiastic, disciplined, positive and patient persons that are eager to spend a one-year period in observing and documenting the lives of the Rekambo chimpanzee community. This is a unique opportunity to gain field experience and contribute to cutting-edge research in one of Africa’s most beautiful rainforests.

The work is physically and mentally demanding, with typical days consisting of approximately 10 hours walking in the forest, often through swamps, with an average of 10-15 km per day, including rain, high air humidity and sunshine. We conduct field work from dusk till dawn given the safety protocol in respect to forest elephants. Field assistants will always be accompanied by an experienced eco-guide who will assure safety during work. Note that the OCP adheres strictly to gender equality and will not tolerate any form of sexual harassment.

Responsibilities

As a field assistant, you will be responsible for:

·       Following and observing chimpanzee groups daily in their natural habitat

·       Record behavioral data, social interactions, and ecological observations

·       Assist in the collection and storage of samples mostly for genetic and endocrinological studies

·       Save, store and annotate behavioural data on electronic devices

·       Monthly check of the camera traps placed in the research area

·       Monthly phenological data collection

·       Preliminary analyses of camera trap videos

·       Collaborate with the research team to ensure the smooth operation of the project

Qualifications:

1.     Bachelor's degree in biology, primatology, veterinary medicine, or related field (or equivalent experience)

2.     Previous field experience with primates or other animal species in tropical or remote environments

3.     Proficiency in written and spoken English; basic knowledge of French

4.     Physical and mental fitness, ability to work in remote and ecologically challenging locations

5.     Capacity to live and work collaboratively with an international and local team

6.     Good communication skills with other team members, project manager and (remotely) with project directors

7.     Excellent communication skills and motivation to manage multiple responsibilities

8.     Demonstrate tolerance to customs and practices of local communities

 

Beneficial qualifications (please indicate these clearly in your application, if present):

 

·         Experience with equipment such as GPS, video cameras and camera traps.

·         Experience with animal behavioral observation and data collection

·         Familiarity with sample collection and storage methods.

·         Proficiency in MS Excel, Cybertracker, GIS, BaseCamp and/or MapSource4

·         Experience driving a quad bike.

Support provided:

·         Small monthly stipend and reimbursment of expenses (see details below)

·         Training for data collection and work in challenging environment

·         Opportunity to gain in-depth field experience on chimpanzee behaviour

·         Data collection equipment (waterproof phones, GPS and video cameras) and binoculars. We can also offer advice about what items are necessary for daily life in a tropical dry forest. However, the candidates will need to provide their own backpack, field clothing, and footwear.

 

Funding and Compensation:

This is a training position, so there is no formal salary, but there is an extra monthly stipend of 200 EUR, in addition to 50 EUR for health insurance reimburse.

One round-trip airfare* from your home city to Libreville and living support while conducting fieldwork will be provided (e.g., travel, meals, lodging, visa* trips every 6 months).

The project will provide emergency travel health insurance, but the assistants needs to have their own basic healthcare plan.

The assistants will be responsible for covering expenses during vacations (3 weeks of vacation after 6 months’ time). Gabon requires specific vaccination against yellow fever to enter the country, but the assistants will be responsible for securing any recommended vaccinations by the Ozoga Chimpanzee Project to ensure safety of both chimpanzees and human observers.

 

*       Reimbursement only after successful completion of a 12-month term of appointment

 

Term of Appointment:

Minimum 12 months starting in March/April 2026 (to be discussed at the interview stage). Possibility to extend stay with the project is available, pending performance.

 

How to Apply:

Please apply by sending a motivation letter, a CV (including your experience with behavioural data collection), and contact information for two references to Dr. Tobias Deschner (tdeschner@uni-osnabrueck.de) and Prof. Simone Pika (simone.pika@uni-osnabrueck.de). We will start evaluating the applications on February 10th, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.

 

Annonce poste CRCN Bien-être

 

l’offre de poste INRAE (concours ouvert) pour un(e) chargé(e) de recherche au sein de l’UMR Herbivores équipe CARAIBE sur l’agentivité et le bien-être des ruminants d’élevage ?

https://jobs.inrae.fr/concours/concours-charges-recherche-classe-normale-profil-h-f/cr26-phase-4

 

Personnes à contacter : Claudia Terlouw claudia.terlouw@inrae.fr et Romain Lardy romain.lardy@inrae.fr

 

Equitation Science PhD course

Offre de stage - élevage de corneilles

 MSc theses and internship opportunities
Tasks include:
•
Feeding, weighing and maintenance of the chicks
•
Preparing clean artificial nests
•
Audio / behavioural data collection (master thesis available)
Time commitment:
•
Minimum three weeks of intense hand-raising, expected to start late April or early May. A flexible availability between mid-April and mid-June is ideal.
•
Day and night shifts shared between the members of the team.
This internship is ideal for highly-motivated students interested in gaining a unique hands-on hand-raising experience or looking for a master thesis. No previous experience required, training will be provided for all necessary skills.
If you are interested and want more information, please contact: valentine.comin@univie.ac.at
Poster valid until March 31st 2026
Where: Haidlhof research station, Bad Vöslau, Austria
Supervision: Valentine Comin and Prof. Barbara Klump
Help us hand-raise crows to investigate their vocal, motor and social development

Post-doctoral Researcher Position 2026

 

The impact of global change on parental care systems and population resilience

Department of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest (UVMB), Budapest, Hungary (https://univet.hu/)

 

Rapid global change, including human disturbance and climate warming, poses mounting risks to wild animal populations. Successful parental care strategies may buffer against the negative consequences of global change. However, both human disturbance and climate warming may disrupt parental behaviour, accentuate the costs of care and sexual conflict, interfere in parental cooperation and ultimately cause lethal and non-lethal damage to offspring. Yet we currently lack information on how global change may influence sex roles in care and parental cooperation, the physiological impacts on parents and offspring, and its consequences for the viability of populations.

 

Our project will examine how climate change and human disturbance shape parental strategies and its consequences for population productivity by utilising (1) large scale studies across multiple species exhibiting diverse patterns of parental care in varied climatic regions, (2) field experiments of climate and disturbance in natural populations, and (3) detailed studies within populations to determine how climate change and human disturbance may interact to shape parental care strategies and the consequences for population resilience and productivity.

 

We will achieve this by combining fieldwork, behavioural research, experimentation, population monitoring, movement tracking and molecular lab research across multiple populations of a diverse avian group (shorebirds). Shorebirds are an ideal group to investigate the impact of global change on parental care as they provide a wide variety of parental care systems, are globally distributed, reproduce in varying climatic environments and are facing threats globally due to climate variability and human encroachment.

 

We seek to recruit a post-doctoral researcher to contribute to this project.

 

Who are we

Our international team led by Dr Grant C. McDonald (UVMB, Hungary) in collaboration with Dr Mike Weston (Deakin University, Australia), Prof. Andrew McKechnie (University of Pretoria, South Africa), Prof. Tamás Székely (University of Bath, UK) and Dr András Kosztolányi (UVMB, Hungary) comprises diverse experience in reproductive strategies research, investigating the detailed evolutionary and social underpinnings of parental care strategies, the impacts of climate on behaviour and physiology, and the impact of human disturbance on avian populations both on local population and global scale.

 

Main responsibilities of the post-doctoral researcher

> Organising and conducting avian fieldwork at selected study locations (e.g. Africa, Asia and Europe) in association with collaborators for several months per year

> Conduct experiments and behavioural observations in the field

> Blood sample collection and close cooperation with molecular laboratory collaborators

> Coordinate data collection by collaborating international research teams

> Conduct statistical analyses of datasets to address within- and between-population questions

> Writing manuscripts targeted towards top-ranked journals in the field

> Support the supervision of students and research assistants

> Work in partnership with locally based conservation NGOs and participating institutions

> Communicate results at international conferences, to stakeholders and to the broader public

> Support additional scientific activities that are important for the success of the project

 

What we are seeking

> PhD in life sciences (evolutionary biology, zoology or comparable field)

> Foundational knowledge in behavioural ecology, animal behaviour or evolutionary ecology

> Hands-on experience conducting international fieldwork with wild populations, preferably in birds

> Firm skills in data management and statistical analysis using R 

> Track record of converting scientific research into peer review publications

> Excellent written and oral communication skills in English

> Ability to work independently and collaborate as part of international team

> Openness to live in different cultures during extensive fieldwork periods 

>  Strong project management and leadership skills

> Valid driving licence

 

What we offer

> A 2.5 year position (with the possibility of extension) based at the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest

> Fieldwork in multiple locations across the globe (incl. Cabo Verde, and sites in Europe and Asia)

> Extensive opportunities for networking and mentoring with international research teams

> Competitive local salary (including paid holiday, fieldwork per diem)

> English speaking research team

> Opportunity to contribute to conservation and collaborations with NGOs at the different field sites

> Opportunities to present research at national and international meeting

> Support to develop follow-up projects and independent research fellowship applications

 

How to apply

Interested candidates should contact Grant C. McDonald (grant.mcdonald@univet.hu). The application should include a max two pages cover letter, a CV with list of publications, and the name and contact details of at least two referees from research, academia or conservation. 

 

Deadline: Application deadline is 28 February 2026. Interviews will be held in March 2026.

Start Date: Start dates are negotiable but could be as early as April 2026.

 

Selected publications

Engel, N., G. C. McDonald, B. K. Sandercock, R. Rice, R. Moreno, S. Ratão, and T. Székely. 2023. Long-term decline in nest survival of a ground-nesting shorebird on a tropical island. Glob. Ecol. Conserv. 45:e02522.

Halimubieke, N., K. Kupán, J. O. Valdebenito, V. Kubelka, M. C. Carmona-Isunza, D. Burgas, D. Catlin, J. J. H. St Clair, J. Cohen, J. Figuerola, M. Yasué, M. Johnson, M. Mencarelli, M. Cruz-López, M. Stantial, M. A. Weston, P. Lloyd, P. Que, T. Montalvo, U. Bansal, G. C. McDonald, Y. Liu, A. Kosztolányi, and T. Székely. 2020. Successful breeding predicts divorce in plovers. Sci. Rep. 10:15576.

 

McDonald, G. C., Z. Barta, B. A. Caspers, T. Székely, and A. Kosztolányi. 2024. Sex roles in parental care in a species with precocial offspring and frequent brood desertion. Anim. Behav. 215:211–225.

 

McDonald, G. C., I. C. Cuthill, T. Székely, and A. Kosztolányi. 2023. Remating opportunities and low costs underlie maternal desertion. Evolution 77:97–109.

 

McDonald, G. C., N. Engel, S. S. Ratão, T. Székely, and A. Kosztolányi. 2020. The impact of social structure on breeding strategies in an island bird. Sci. Rep. 10:13872.

 

McDonald, G. C., K. Tasman, N. Engel, T. Székely, and A. Kosztolányi. 2025. Inconsistent fear: repeatability in flight initiation distance and neophobic behaviour differs in a ground-nesting bird. Anim. Behav. 225:123224.

 

Roast, M. J., G. C. McDonald, T. Székely, A. Kosztolányi, and I. Maggini. 2025. No detectable deployment impacts of solar-powered GPS devices for long-term use on a small shorebird. J. Avian Biol. 2025:e03508.

 

Székely, T., M. C. Carmona-Isunza, N. Engel, N. Halimubieke, W. Jones, V. Kubelka, R. Rice, C. E. Tanner, Z. Tóth, J. O. Valdebenito, K. Wanders, and G. C. McDonald. 2024. The causes and implications of sex role diversity in shorebird breeding systems. Ibis 166:357–385.