Field Assistant for Filoha Hamadryas Project in Awash National Park

Position Description

We are seeking volunteer field assistants for a long-term study of hamadryas baboons at the Filoha study site in the lowlands of central Ethiopia. Field assistants are part of a small field team that is responsible for a set of research tasks including tracking and daily census of the study group, collection of behavioral and reproductive data from individually identified baboons, and collection and processing of fecal samples for genetic and hormone analyses in our field laboratory. Field assistants are accompanied by our field manager, one of our current graduate students, and/or a local park scout while following baboons.

The Filoha field site is based at the most northerly outpost of the Awash National Park. The area is hot and dry (averaging 94 degrees F) for most of the year. Living conditions at Filoha are simple and rugged: we sleep in tents, our cook prepares food on a kerosene stove, and we bathe in the local hot springs or carry water from the springs to our shower stall. The area experiences occasional ethnic conflict, during which baboon follows are suspended. Prior to departure, volunteers would need to arrange for their Ethiopian visa, vaccines, any anti-malarial prophylaxis desired, and travel insurance that includes medical evacuation. For more details and photos of the field site, see: http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/ANTHRO/Web_Pages/swedell/filoha.html

Hamadryas baboons are characterized by a unique multi-level and male-dominated social system. Filoha is the only currently operational long-term field site where members of this species are individually identified and habituated. At Filoha, we are studying various aspects of hamadryas baboon social behavior, ecology, genetics, and physiology. See footage of hamadryas at Filoha in the primates episode of the BBC documentary Life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju7gujK8yrY.

Depending on length of stay, amount and quality of data collected, and other intellectual contributions to the project, these positions could potentially lead to co-authorship on a publication.

Qualifications/Experience
Volunteers at Filoha need to be physically fit and able to collect data under the conditions described above. Due to the remoteness of the field site and the lack of communication infrastructure, volunteers must also be of sound physical and mental health without any pre-existing conditions that might require immediate medical attention. Volunteers must also be able and willing to maintain professional relationships with people of varied cultural backgrounds and cope with disruptions to fieldwork due to possible ethnic conflict and other factors out of one's control.

Ideally, applicants should have the following characteristics:
* Ability to withstand -- and enjoy! -- rugged and remote field conditions.
* Previous international field experience that includes living or traveling in a developing country.
* Excellent physical and mental health.
* Prior coursework and/or experience in behavioral ecology and conservation.

In addition to the above, the successful applicant will be flexible, adaptable, patient, emotionally mature, responsible, self-reliant, energetic, and highly motivated!

Salary/funding
This is a volunteer position, so no salary is available. Volunteers would need to cover their own travel expenses and pay a US$1000 research fee to the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority. In addition, each person should allow $100-$200 per month for living expenses while in Ethiopia.

Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging)
Pending availability of project funds, some expenses within Ethiopia may be paid for up front or reimbursed after successful completion of six months of fieldwork.

Term of Appointment
We prefer a commitment of at least 8 months, but individual time frames are negotiated separately. Positions may begin as early as June 2019.

How to Apply
If you are interested in a volunteer position at Filoha, please submit a letter of application that includes a description of your background and interests, experience, and any questions you may have. Please include a current CV and at least two references with contact information. Please send your correspondence via email to both Dr. Larissa Swedell and Dr. Shahrina Chowdhury at FilohaHamadryasProject@gmail.com.