Contract Position in Belize: January 15 - December 15, 2013

Organization Background

The Oceanic Society (OS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in California in
1969 whose mission is to conserve marine wildlife and habitats by deepening
connections between people and nature through research, community engagement, and
first-hand experience. We support community-focused, applied research to inform
responsible conservation strategies at numerous field sites around the world and in the
U.S. We have also fielded hundreds of volunteers on dozens of natural history and
research expeditions to locations around the world, including Micronesia, Mexico,
Costa Rica, Belize, and California. OS has operated in Belize since 1992 and has worked
with and supported numerous scientists conducting high quality research over that
time period.

Both OS and the University of Belize?s Environmental Research Institute (ERI) operate
research field stations on Turneffe Atoll in Belize, the largest coral atoll in the western
hemisphere. Applied research projects stage from these field stations, including
monitoring of critical marine ecosystems like coral reefs, seagrasses, and mangroves, as
well as population surveys and ecology studies on dolphins and crocodiles, manatees
and more recently sea turtles.

To ensure that research at Turneffe Atoll is targeted to meet needs of national and local
resource managers, OS has officially partnered with ERI, which is the national
clearinghouse for biodiversity monitoring data in Belize, and is responsible for setting
biodiversity conservation research priorities and coordinating biodiversity monitoring
for Belize.

Job Description:

In this context, OS is seeking a unique individual with applied research experience with
marine megafauna species, particularly marine mammals (i.e. cetaceans or West Indian
manatees), to lead OS?s efforts to coordinate and strengthen national research priorities
for key marine species, as outlined in ERI?s National Research Agenda, and to represent
OS in Belize. Areas of focus could include marine megafauna conservation,
determination of high-use areas and movement patterns of marine megafauna species,
marine policy or marine spatial planning in Belize and the Meso-American Reef system
more broadly. The physical location of the position will be split between ERI?s office in
Belmopan and OS?s Blackbird Caye field station on Turneffe. Position to start in January
2013.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Work with OS?s Chief Scientist to coordinate the implementation of OS research and monitoring in Belize with a focus on marine megafauna species
• Guide development of OS research projects related to marine megafauna conservation
• Assist in the development of special programs and projects with a wildlife conservation focus in furtherance of the objectives of OS in Belize
• Coordinate OS-supported research projects based at Blackbird field station on Turneffe Atoll, and ensure that they address key research priorities identified by ERI?s National Research Agenda
• Collaborate with other researchers working throughout Belize on conservation issues pertaining to improved management of migratory megafauna species
• Represent OS on Committees, etc. within Belize by attending relevant meetings, seeking and cultivating partnerships with NGOs, management agencies, university researchers, funders/donors, and others, and generally aligning OS?s Belize-based activities with OS?s overall institutional priorities and mission
• Provide input into the development of strategic plans for ERI in respect to marine wildlife programs and projects for approval
• Lead his/her own research projects at Turneffe Atoll and other sites in Belize
• Lead select Oceanic Society research projects on dolphins and manatees at Turneffe Atoll and other sites in Belize for a 4-month period.

Preferred qualifications:

• M.S. in marine biology or similar
• An established track-record of independent research and scientific publications
• Experience leading non-specialist volunteers in field research projects
• Experience with boat-based wildlife survey methodology, including visualization surveys, acoustic tracking and behavioral observations, snorkel/dive transects, etc.
• Expertise in ecology and conservation of marine megafauna, particularly marine mammals
• International experience and comfort with living in rustic field conditions for extended periods, and being able to solve problems and deal with challenging logistics
• Dedication to teamwork, collaboration, and respect for others, as well as to conservation of marine wildlife and habitats.

Review of applications will begin November 20, 2012 and will continue until finalists are identified. Applications received after that point may be considered if the position is not filled from the finalist pool.

Salary: Dependent on Experience. Does not include benefits. Airfare is included from a U.S. gateway city.

Interested persons should email cover letter describing qualifications for the position along with curriculum vitae, including the names and contact information for at least three references to:

Dr. Bryan Wallace, Chief Scientist, Oceanic Society
staff@oceanicsociety.org with a copy to wallace@oceanicsociety.org
For more information about the Oceanic Society, visit: www.oceanicsociety.org . OS
scientific advisory board: http://www.oceanicsociety.org/sci_advisors
For more information about the University of Belize?s Environmental Research Institute,
visit: http://eriub.org/