starting between August and October 2016 for 1-3 years
We are looking for an
extremely motivated and independent biology student with a master’s
degree to join the striped mouse project for a minimum of 1 and a
maximum of 3 years as research manager. Somebody who would like to gain
experience in field work and scientific management. Managers get free
accommodation at the station and R4500/month to cover their daily costs.
Travel costs can be refunded by up to an additional R 12 000 / year. As
such, the position compensates for all arising costs but does not
represent a real employment.
The
research manager will work closely together with the station manager
and both managers will share responsibilities. However, each will have
specific main duties, but should also be able to deal with all other
duties (for example when the other manager is on leave, or when a new
manager has to be trained).
We
already have an acting station manager while our present research
manager will leave the project end of the year to search for a PhD
position. The new research manager will be instructed by the present
research manager and both will overlap for 1-3 months.
Great opportunity: This
is a great opportunity to spend 1-3 years in Africa, acquiring
important skills in field biology and project management, while
improving your CV. These skills will become valuable whether you later
continue with a PhD or other jobs. It will be very hard and demanding,
but also a once in a life time experience!
You must be
hard-working, highly motivated, able to work independently, good in
communicating with people, able to supervise others, and not afraid of
snakes. You should love to live at a remote place in nature, without
regular internet and cell-phone reception. Most importantly, you are
fascinated by nature and science!
Job description: Five
working days a week (Mo, Tue, Thu, Fr, Sat), with Wednesday being used
for a shopping trip to town (not counted as working day) and Sundays
being free. Included are four weeks of holiday for 12 months, which has
to be taken outside the main breeding season (August to November) during
periods when other students are present at the research station.
Shared duties
Striped mice:
· Trapping
· Observing
· Radio-tracking, putting radio-collars on
· Blood sampling
· Collect
data for specific research projects (to be determined. Examples would
be collecting urine samples, data on basking, cognitive testing …)
Primary duties research manager / secondary duties station manager
· Data:
o Weekly data entry
o Weekly data check
o Monthly data backup
o Monthly data report
o Training and supervision of field assistants
o Training of students and postdocs
o Support for students and postdocs
o Management of transmitters
o Management of field and laboratory supplies
Primary duties station manager / secondary duties research manager
· Technical support research station:
o Water system incl. sewage system
o Solar system
o Gas bottles replacement
o House and furniture
o Running of the respirometry laboratory
o Management of the captive colony
o Management of the research station car
o Management of bank account and cash box
o Management of research station supplies
Compensation:
· Free accommodation.
- A monthly compensation of R 4 500, which is sufficient to pay all costs of living (approx. 3500/month).
- For
travel costs, R12 000 per year can be refunded, but proof (receipts)
must be presented for this. This refund is only payable after 12 months.
- You will become a honorary researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand in the group of Prof. N. Pillay.
- Scientific
co-authorship or even becoming a first author will be possible if the
manager contributes to the success of projects by not only collecting
the majority of data, but also by data analysis and writing of the
manuscript.
Responsibilities:
· The
manager has to cover the costs to get to the station, including travel
costs and visa fees. For this, a refund can be paid (see above).
- The
manager needs to arrange for a health insurance covering him / her
during the stay. A copy must be sent to C. Schradin before travelling to
the stations.
Place and project: Succulent
Karoo Research Station in the Goegap Nature Reserve near Springbok in
the Northern Cape of South Africa. The research projects are on the
socio-ecology of small mammals, studying ecological and physiological
reasons of social behaviour, behavioural flexibility, and physiological
adaptation.
How to apply? Please send a CV, a letter of motivation and the names and contact information of at least two scientists available for reference. The letter of motivation should state why you think you are the perfect candidate for this, and when you could start.
Application deadline: There is no deadline, but applications will be reviewed until a suitable candidate is found. For full consideration, send your application before the 10th of July. After the 10th of July you might first enquire via email whether the position is still open or not.
Dr.
Carsten Schradin, Director of the Succulent Karoo Research Station, a
registered South African non-profit organization supporting research in
organismic biology.
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