Hiring Organization:
Max-Planck-Institute for Evol. Anthropology
Date Posted:
2011-11-09
Position Description:
Two research assistant for an ongoing long-term project in LuiKotale, Salonga NP, Democratic Republic of Congo. This project started in July 2011 and bonobos are still in an early stage of habituation. Daily work includes locating bonobos and following individuals during the day for as long as possible. It also includes taking notes on the foods consumed, scoring locations of nest groups, travel routes etc. and analyzing recordings from camera traps. Candidates will work together with Congolese field assistants and will be trained by the current habituation team before taking over the project. Information about the field site and research activities at LuiKotale is available at www.eva.mpg.de/primat
Qualifications/Experience:
Essential requirements are: (1) field experience, (2) language skills (English and French), (3) above average physical fitness, (4) above average resistance to social/psychological stress, (5) practical and technical skills required to orient and move across dense tropical lowland forest without prominent land marks, (6) the ability to achieve tasks by improvisation, using the limited sources that are available, (7) the capacity to live and work with an international team of students, volunteers and local staff. Candidates should be independent and have social skills, a strong motivation to take on responsibility, and tolerance to costumes and practices of traditional societies. LuiKotale hosts an international research team and communication among team members is mainly in English. Communication with local field assistants is in French and Lingala and candidates with such language skills will be preferred.
Salary/funding:
300 Euro/month
Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):
- food (mix of mainly local food and some western food items
- lodging (in tents) at the field site
- airfare for one domestic flight from Kinshasa to the field site and back
- contribution of up to 800 Euro to an international return flight (reimbursement ONLY AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETITION OF A 9 MONTS TERM OF APPOINTMENT)
- expenses for visa (reimbursement ONLY AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETITION OF A 9 MONTS TERM OF APPOINTMENT)
- please note that expenses during the stay in Kinshasa on the way in/out of Congo CAN NOT be covered by the project
Term of Appointment:
9 months starting in February 2012
Application Deadline:
25th of December 2011
Comments:
Applicants are requested to send a CV, a letter of interest that shows how the applicant meets the qualifications for the position as outlined above, and gives the names of at least two people that would serve as a reference.
Contact Information:
Dr. Gottfried Hohmann
Deutscher Platz 6
Leipzig 04103
Germany
Telephone Number:
++49 341 3550 208
Website:
http://www.eva.mpg.de
E-mail Address:
hohmann@eva.mpg.de