6 Volunteer field assistant positions at the Tsaobis Baboon Project
Elisa Fernández
Role description
The Tsaobis Baboon Project is a long-term study of wild desert baboons in Namibia. We are currently recruiting Volunteer Field Assistants for our 2022 field season. These positions combine practical research with training and are entirely field-based. The volunteers are trained by and work alongside doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers, assisting with their studies and contributing to the wider research activities of the Baboon Project.
The fieldwork will primarily involve daily follows of baboon troops on foot, collecting data on the behaviour of individually recognisable animals, together with monthly vegetation surveys, and the capture of both study troops to fit GPS collars and collect measurements and samples. This year, our research includes projects on how baboons learn about the world and from each other.
Purpose of role:
This volunteer role supports the field research team on the IoZ/ZSL Tsaobis Baboon Project, whilst offering individuals the opportunity to gain vital work experience in this area.
Commitment of role:
We are looking for up to six international and Namibian volunteers to volunteer for periods of 3-6 months between May to October 2022. Volunteers undertake their volunteering on a 3-day cycle (2 days with the baboons, 1 day off).
Positions available
We have six Volunteer Field Assistant positions currently available, three for international volunteers (of any nationality) and three for Namibian volunteers, over periods of between 3-6 months.
| Positions available | Approximate start and end dates | Duration |
| 1 x international volunteer | 1 May - 31 July | 3 months |
| 1 x international volunteer | 1 Aug - 31 Oct | 3 months |
| 1 x international volunteer | 1 May - 31 Oct | 6 months |
| 1 x Namibian volunteer | 1 May - 31 July | 3 months |
| 1 x Namibian volunteer | 1 Aug - 31 Oct | 3 months |
| 1 x Namibian volunteer | 1 May - 31 Oct | 6 months |
Main tasks volunteers will be asked to undertake:
- Join the project team to undertake the following tasks:
- Full-day follows of the baboon study troops on foot, and the collection of behavioural and ecological data from the baboons during those follows
- Monthly plant phenology surveys, involving plant identification and the recording of plant phenology cycles (leaf, flower, fruit/pods)
- Other miscellaneous research activities
- Contribute to base camp management/logistics including communal cooking and cleaning duties.
What we cover
The Tsaobis Baboon Project covers all our volunteers’ work-related costs in Namibia, including all meals and accommodation. We also cover the costs of personal insurance, and:
- For our international volunteers, we further arrange and pay for the Namibian study visas
- For our Namibian volunteers, we further provide a monthly allowance of N$2,000 and the loan of field equipment as required
Who are we looking for?
These positions are open to all with an interest in animal behaviour and ecology. We are particularly keen to hear from applicants who:
- Are friendly, easygoing people, happy to live in small team under basic conditions at a remote field site
- Are strongly motivated, reliable and committed
- Basic experience and skills in field research and data collection
- Have good levels of physical fitness and stamina - you will be following the baboons on foot from dawn to dusk over mountainous terrain in extreme heat
- Show good initiative, with a willingness to learn and show attention to detail
- Have a full, clean driving licence (not necessary for Namibian volunteers)
What do volunteers get out of it?
- An amazing opportunity to share the lives of wild baboons in a beautiful desert landscape
- An opportunity to learn new skills and gain experience, especially those relevant to research in behaviour, ecology, and conservation
- An opportunity to be involved in a long-term project on African wildlife, hosted by an international research institution and conservation charity
- Most of our volunteers are graduate students who use their experience on the Baboon Project as a stepping stone on to Masters and PhD degree courses
Further information
For further details about these positions, including the work involved, our living conditions in the field, preparations prior to departure, and what to bring with you, please go to: https://www.zsl.org/science/research/volunteers-baboons.
How to apply
If you would like to apply, you will need to upload a CV and covering letter, by clicking through to our recruitment page and using the “Apply for this role online” button.
The covering letter should explain why you would like to work on the project, specify the volunteer positions to which you are applying, and confirm the earliest/latest dates of your availability. The CV should include the names of two referees with e-mail contact details. The covering letter and CV should be uploaded as a single PDF document, with the covering letter on a separate page preceding the CV.
Closing date for applications: 10am Monday 10 January 2022
We will notify successfully shortlisted candidates by Tuesday 11 January 2022, and interviews will be held on Zoom a week later, on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 January 2022. Applicants are requested to keep these dates free for interview.
Elisa Fernandez Fueyo
Elisa.Fernan...@live.rhul.ac.uk | elisa.f...@ucl.ac.uk | https://elisafernandezfueyo.mystrikingly.com/ | @elisaffueyo