Dear all,First of all, sorry for cross-posting. MAREFA, the Marine Research and Education Fund of Andenes is seeking for research assistant volunteers for this year´s summer cetacean surveys onboard passenger ferries in the area of Lofoten and Vesteralen islands, in Northern Norway. Survey Dates: From 1st July to 31st August 2014. DESCRIPTION: MAREFA is an NGO focused on research and conservation of cetaceans in the Norwegian Sea. We offer placements for volunteers for this year´s summer campaigns of passenger ferry surveys. The aim of the project is to study the distribution of cetacean species in the area between Tromso and Bodo. We are looking for higly motivated, adaptable, independent and responsible research assistants that can work well in a small team. The volunteers will be trained in Andenes (Vesteralen, Norway) and based either on the ferry or in a shared house in Andenes. The volunteers should be available to start the training in Andenes on the 25th of June. The accomodation both on the ferry and on land will be provided by MAREFA. The volunteers are responsible for getting to Andenes, which is connected via a direct flight to Oslo. Visual surveys will be conducted from morning to evening (for volunteers based in Andenes) and during 24 hours/day in shifts for ferry-based volunteers(during the polar day period of 24h of daylight). Species mostly encountered in the area are sperm whale, harbour porpoise, killer whale, minke whale, and occasionally pilot whales and atlantic white-sided dolphins. Other species less frequent during the summer months can also be spotted, such as humpback or fin whales. The volunteers will also interact with the public and give short presentations about the cetaceans in Norwegian waters. Volunteers with previous cetacean research expericence are preferred, but highly motivated students with other type of field experience (especially transect surveys) will be considered. Students will also have the opportunity to get involved in other MAREFA projects after the summer and work on the analysis of data collected during the ferry surveys. One month placements (either July or August) will be considered only for volunteers with previous experience and which will exclusively require training in the specific survey protocols, but not in species identification, as only a short training can be provided in the end of June.To apply or ask for more information, please send us your CV with a short cover letter to: info@marefa-whaleresearch.org Thanks! The MAREFA team www.marefa-whaleresearch.orginfo@marefa-whaleresearch.org+47 41419672