WCS - Wildlife Conservation Society
Location: Bangalore (With travel to field sites across the Western Ghats)
Program: Global Change and Vegetation Dynamics
Reporting Head: Program Head
Duration: 1 Year (extendable)
Desired language proficiency: English and Kannada/Tamil/ Malayalam
About us:
The Wildlife Conservation Society-India works to conserve wildlife backed by science. We work in partnership with governmental and non-governmental organizations to deal with conservation challenges such as human-wildlife interaction, countering wildlife trafficking, conservation of marine and tropical montane ecosystems and species, conservation of endangered species, livelihood development of local communities, and so on. Committed to wildlife conservation and the ecological worldview that recognizes the inextricable link between human welfare and the protection of wildlife and wild spaces, WCS-India endeavours to inspire positive attitudes in people towards wildlife.
About the Program:
The Global Change and Vegetation Dynamics Program focuses on the effects of global change on montane forests in the Western Ghats. Specifically, we aim to understand the impacts of land cover change and invasive speciesâ spread on woody plant communities in the central and southern Western Ghats and to develop conservation strategies for tropical montane forest plant communities. The person chosen for this position will be expected to be involved in all aspects of the program from proposal writing, data analysis and field work, conducting ecological and/or socioeconomic surveys, data collation and analysis and preparing of final reports and publications.
Roles and Responsibilities:
⢠Collation, processing and archiving of remotely sensed (RS) data acquired from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms for use in vegetation ecology projects, including the development of automated routines to correct for the presence of image distorting and other artefacts.
⢠Conducting advanced analysis of RS data sets, using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
⢠Contributing to design of study methods for field and RS-based data gathering, writing of proposals and research papers.
⢠Exploring applicability of new technical developments in RS for use in vegetation studies and keeping up with developments in the field through active participation in online fora and discussion groups in the RS field to assist ongoing projects in the programme.
⢠Collecting supporting data to corroborate RS-based analyses, such as field survey data on vegetation.
⢠Monitoring the quality of information gathered and setting up systems to store and organize the database for the program.
⢠Assist in designing and executing outreach activities pertaining to the project.
⢠Assist with teaching and training activities undertaken by the Programme Head.
⢠Assist in liaising with individuals, research institutes, and governmental and non-governmental agencies towards collaborative efforts.
⢠Assist in preparation of annual work-plans, budgets, popular articles and reports as required by WCS-India and donor partners.
Qualification & Requirements:
Essential qualifications
⢠Post-graduate degree, preferably a Master’s degree in Remote Sensing, Geography, Ecology or similar subjects with a large component of remote sensing in modules or coursework.
⢠Some prior work experience (at least 6 months) at an NGO or in the private sector.
⢠Knowledge of spatial database design and management.
⢠Proficiency in the use of Remote Sensing and GIS software (preferably on open-source platforms such as R and Google Earth Engine).
⢠Ability to code in R, Python or Java.
Desirable Skills
⢠Ability to use internet-based GIS / RS platforms or applications for data dissemination and outreach.
⢠Ability to conduct independent research and experience in designing field methodology, data collection, biodiversity surveys (especially on vegetation).
⢠Proven ability to write technical reports with minimal supervision.
⢠Field research experience and/or natural history skills in identifying plants.
⢠Comfortable traveling and working in remote locations and difficult field terrains and conditions for 2 weeks to one month at a time.
⢠Ability to lead field teams and engage with stakeholders e.g., land owners, local community, forest department, etc.
⢠Experience in academic writing and publication in peer-reviewed journals.
⢠Highly motivated and self-driven individual with a keen interest in biodiversity conservation.
⢠Demonstrated willingness to learn and ability to apply/adapt their knowledge and skills to project activities to address the given problem/issue/research question.
⢠Spoken language fluency in Kannada/ Tamil/ Malayalam
⢠Driverâs license and driving skills for both two-wheelers and four-wheelers (with at least two years prior driving experience).
Compensation: Offered as per the qualification and experience.
Date of joining: July 1st, 2024.
To apply, please send together in one file a cover letter, an updated resume, and a sample of your writing such as a copy of your thesis, scientific report or publication. Submit your application using the position title âRS Analyst – WG-VegDynâ in the subject line to [email protected] latest by June 10th, 2024.
Candidates should mandatorily share the contact details of three professional and/or academic references. Please add this to your cover letter.
All applications will be reviewed; however, only shortlisted candidates will be notified for further process.
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