Volunteer, WWF – Bonobo Team Leader

Duration: 10 months

The Bonobo Conservation Project of WWF Congo in the Lac Tumba Landscape (western Congo) is looking for 2 long term volunteers (6-10 months) to support their research and ecotourism activities with two groups of habituated bonobos (since 2006). Teams of local trackers are following these groups on a daily basis. An ecotourism pilot is planned in early 2015.

The volunteer will be responsible for the supervision of one team (9 local workers on rotation), which includes work plan development, conflict management and mitigation, regular days working in the forest to monitor their work, data entry and analysis and report writing, monthly payments and training on data collection.

Requirements:

• A  undergraduate degree or Masters in Primatology or a related subject
• GPS and GIS skills
• Team player and intercultural competency
• Ability to deal with basic living conditions in a remote place
• Resistance to social/psychological stress
• High interest in conservation
• At least basic French is essential as the trackers do not speak English. Lingala would be a bonus.
• Experiences with ecotourism projects would be an asset
• Experience working with habituated great apes would be an asset
• Work experience in Central Africa would be an asset
• Willingness to work flexible hours, during weekends and long hours during the day.
• Physically fit enough to walk long distances in difficult conditions

Conditions:

• Accommodation will be provided at the field station (internet and electricity are available but no phone reception) and in the village
• Monthly allowance of 300 Dollars for living costs
• Monthly allowance of 100 Dollars for health and travel insurance. It is therefore the responsibility of the volunteer to arrange their own cover, including full medical insurance (note that the base is very remote and there is no easy access to medical assistance).
• Visa costs will be covered
• Inland travel costs will be covered
• Oversee travel cost (up to 1000 Dollars) will be reimbursed if the volunteer stays for the full 10 months
• Proposed start date: 20th February 2015

The application deadline is the 5th January 2015 but applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis so do not wait until the deadline to apply. If you have been successful, you will be notified by the 20th of Jan 2015.

Read more and apply here.