ANNOUNCEMENT OF UK MARINE MAMMAL JOB

SEA WATCH FOUNDATION

**SIGHTINGS OFFICER**

The main task of the post holder will be to facilitate public education and awareness through the regular dissemination of environmental information, and to help develop Sea Watch’s research and monitoring programmes. Duties include:

• Recruitment of new observers, and feedback of information and advice to current contributors of sightings. Assistance with verifying & inputting sightings records.
• Regular support & liaison with Regional Coordinators, with occasional visits to coastal regions to support local efforts to develop monitoring, information exchange, and local fund-raising. Review with regional co-ordinators the best approaches for strengthening the observer network
• Co-ordination of a National Whale & Dolphin Watch event (in 2011, to be held between the 5^th and 7^th August).
• Maintenance of an active web site to serve as a prime medium of communication to observers, initiating regular dissemination of new information, and recruiting new observers. Regular updating with news items, recent sightings, etc.
• Participation in training courses to teach regional co-ordinators and observers techniques of quantitative monitoring, species identification, and photo-ID. These may be tiered from beginners to advanced observers, so as to improve skills at different levels of experience
• Distribution of training aids (identification guide, slide pack and CD/video) to observers
• Preparation and editing of news sheets every two months, and writing occasional reports and other material of public/educational interest, in liaison with other staff
• Preparation of news releases for the media on major stories of environmental interest, and writing articles for specialist magazines
• Take part in educational and outreach events, and school visits and provide supervision and support for the Education/Awareness Assistant
• Assistance with supervising students and other volunteers in New Quay, and supporting Monitoring Officer on some survey trips
• Participation and development of cetacean field projects as appropriate
• Attending meetings and giving public lectures on behalf of Sea Watch
• Participation in fundraising activities and promotion of Adopt a Dolphin campaign
• Answering correspondence & telephone queries from interested parties
• Data record entry organization and administration of national sightings database including acquisition of third party data and transformation for compatibility with SWF database, writing of forms and queries within MS Access and production of maps, spatial analyses, graphs and reports.

We are looking for a person with a strong knowledge of UK cetaceans and marine environmental issues, as well as research experience preferably in marine mammals. He or she should have an ability to interact well with people of varied backgrounds (research scientists, government officials, conservationists, naturalists, fishermen, members of the oil and gas industry, shipping, etc). The candidate will need to be computer literate (MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Photoshop, and at least basic statistical programs and working knowledge of ArcView would be of use). Good writing and organizational skills are important as well as having a good discipline for detail and accuracy when working with data. Candidates with a good working knowledge of research analytical techniques and/or web editing are encouraged to apply.

The post is initially for a period of six months but with potential extension beyond that subject to funding. It will be based at Sea Watch's office (Paragon House) in New Quay, Ceredigion, West Wales. Salary is £18,000 per annum, starting in April 2011. 

Those interested should send a letter of application, a copy of your CV, and the e-mail contact details of two referees to Gemma Veneruso at gemma.veneruso@seawatchfoundation.org.uk by 1st March 2011.

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Sea Watch Foundation is a national marine environmental charity concerned with monitoring whales and dolphins around the British Isles, and the conservation threats they face. The national sightings database is one of the largest of its kind in the world. It has a number of research projects including surveys and photo-ID studies of bottlenose dolphins and baleen whales, and also harbour porpoises in West Wales, minke whale studies of foraging ecology and population genetics in West Scotland, and spatial analytical studies of cetacean distribution and habitat preferences of cetaceans throughout the British Isles, using a variety of modelling approaches. Sea Watch also focuses on education, providing a number of training aids, educational visits and is winner of the third “ASCOBANS Outreach and Education Award”. There is also a Dolphin Adoption scheme, aimed particularly at children, focusing upon the bottlenose dolphins of Cardigan Bay which was voted the best UK animal adoption scheme by BBC Wildlife. Further details and a list of publications can be found on its web site – www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk.

The charity has four staff based in New Quay (West Wales), North Wales and the London area, a further four-five working remotely on a contractual basis, and a large number of volunteers scattered around the coasts of the British Isles. Its Director is Dr Peter Evans based at the School of Ocean Sciences, University of Bangor.