1 position as station manager (starting February 2020)
1at the striped mouse project in South Africa
We are looking for an
extremely motivated and independent biology student with a master’s
degree to join the striped mouse project in February 2020 as station
manager and a second student to start in July/ August 2020 as research
manager until at last November 2021 and for a maximum of 3 years. This
position is suitable for somebody who would like to gain experience in
field work and scientific management. Managers get free accommodation at
the station and a compensation to cover their daily costs. Travel costs
can be refunded by up to an additional R 16 000 / year. As such, the
position compensates for all arising costs but does not represent a
legal employment.
The
station manager works closely together with the research manager and
both managers share many responsibilities. However, each has 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). The new manager will be instructed by the present
managers, with the current station manager leaving in May 2020.
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 must have a drivers licence and you must 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!
Skills needed: Handyman
skills are of advantage and needed for the station manager position.
Experiences in behavioural ecology, working with small mammals,
radio-tracking, blood sampling, and living at a remote location are of
advantage.
Great opportunity: This
is a great opportunity to spend 1.5-3 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!
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 (so not during August to
November) and during periods when the other manager is present at the
research station (the two managers cannot be on leave at the same time).
Primary duties station manager / secondary duties research manager
- Technical support research station:
- Water system incl. sewage system
- Solar system
- Gas bottles replacement
- 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
Primary duties research manager / secondary duties station manager
- Data:
- Weekly data entry
- Weekly data check
- Monthly data backup
- Monthly data report
- Training and supervision of field assistants
- Training of students and postdocs
- Support for students and postdocs
- Management of transmitters
- Management of field and laboratory supplies
Compensation:
· Free accommodation.
- A monthly compensation of R 4000 for the first three months, raising to R4700 per month afterwards, which is sufficient to pay all costs of living (approx. 3500/month). The compensation can gradually raise up to R5400/month.
- For travel costs, R16 000 per year can be refunded, but proof (receipts) must be presented for this. This refund is only payable after November 2021 and will not be paid if the person leaves earlier than agreed.
- You will become an honorary researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand in the group of Prof. N. Pillay.
- Scientific co-authorship 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. Costs for the health insurance can be refunded as part of the R16 000/year.
Place and project: Succulent
Karoo Research Station (SKRS) 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.
Period: The station manager is expected to start in February 2020, the research manager is expected to start in July or August 2020. Both are expected to stay until November 2021 (end of the breeding season). The agreement might be extended for a total period of up to 3 years.
How to apply? Please send a CV, a letter of motivation and the names and contact information of at least two scientists available as referee. The letter of motivation should state why you think you are the perfect candidate for this, when you could start, and for which position you are applying.
Application deadline: There is currently no deadline and applications will be reviewed as they are received. If necessary, a second call will be published in January and a third one in March 2021. You can send an email to enquire whether the position is still available before applying.
Further information under www.stripedmouse.com
Dr.
Carsten Schradin, Director of the Succulent Karoo Research Station, a
registered South African non-profit organization supporting research in
organismic biology.