Hiring Organization: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
I am seeking to hire a project manager for the Loango Gorilla Project in Loango National Park, Gabon. The goal of this long-term project, started in 2005, is to study western gorillas to better understand their behavioral ecology, social behavior, and population dynamics. We work closely with the Gabonese National Park Service, including jointly running a tourism program with the gorillas. We routinely collect data from one group of habituated gorillas and habituation of a second group is well underway. The project manager is responsible for ensuring the day-to-day operations (logistical and field work) of the project. Specific duties include, but are not limited to: managing the work schedules for project employees (about 15 people), overseeing data collection by staff (observations on the gorillas, phenology, etc), organizing data collection and management, purchasing food and other supplies for the staff, assisting with the gorilla tourism program (including leading tourists with the gorillas and training staff for tourism), assisting with habituation of a group of gorillas, ensuring that all equipment including motor boats are functioning, accounting and paying salaries, organizing monthly reports, liasing with national park officials on the ground and in Libreville, organizing visas and research permission for expat staff, accounting, overseeing any equipment or building repairs needed, and serving as the liase between the field and scientists in Germany.
This project manager will be based in Loango National Park. The project operates out of the Yatouga Camp, which has only basic amenities: no running water, solar power only, etc. (there is not-bad internet and good phone network). Trips to Port Gentil (full day travel) are likely to be roughly once every two months. All staff live in the camp and we eat dinner together every night. Everyone must be willing to work together as a team and be willing and interested to live in a multicultural, communal work/living setting. Time spent in the forest with the gorillas depends on needs to manage everything else. Loango is a lowland forest that contains many swamps (which we walk through nearly daily) and a wide array of wildlife including forest elephants (which we encounter nearly daily).
The candidate must be fluent in French and English. Two years minimum experience working in Africa are expected, preferably in a role that involved similar work. A minimum of a BSc degree and preferably an MSc degree in biology, anthropology, or related field would be optimal. The person must be good at managing people, working in a multicultural setting, organizing logistics, have knowledge of basic equipment maintenance (e.g. solar equipment, computers, GPS), have experience with data management (including handheld data collection methods), good communication skills, and dealing with unexpected, sometimes frustrating, circumstances. The person must be willing to make a one year commitment, with an eye for two years or more in the position. Patience, flexibility, and being organized are a plus. The person should not have expectations of only spending time in the forest observing gorillas. A scientific background and interest in ensuring that data collection is running smoothly is an asset. Being comfortable living in a communal forest camp and being physically fit enough for forest work are also beneficial qualifications.
Salary/funding:
1400 euros per month. One round trip airfare to Gabon per year,
basic health insurance, internal travel costs, accommodation (small wooden
hut), and basic food are provided. If you want anything special you need to purchase it
yourself. You will be required to have basic health insurance that also covers
emergency repatriation and liability. You also must have vaccinations for
measles, yellow fever, TB, hepatitis A and B, polio, and meningitis (cost of
vaccinations are not paid by the project).
Term of Appointment:
1 year, starting sometime in late May/June 2021.
Application Deadline:
April 15, 2021. Applications will be reviewed as they arrive so don’t wait to
the last minute to apply.
Comments:
Interested applicants should send a letter of interest, CV, and names of 3
references to robbins@eva.mpg.de
If you do not hear from me by May 1, 2021, please assume that you are not being
considered for the position.
Contact Information:
Martha Robbins
Deutscher
Platz 6
Leipzig 04013
Germany