Research Programme Officer
Start Date: 1st May 2024, or as soon after as possible
Contract: Full-time two-year contract with potential to extend
Salary: Competitive starting net salary of 350 - 750 USD/month, depending on qualifications and experience
Location: Based at Free the Bears’ Phnom Penh Office, with frequent work at the Cambodia Bear Sanctuary, Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center, Takeo Province, Cambodia; and fieldwork at project sites throughout Cambodia.
Applications are sought from suitable individuals to fill the role of Research Programme Officer with Free the Bears Cambodia. The work of Free the Bears is currently centred on three focal countries where we have created the Cambodia Bear Sanctuary (in Cambodia), Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre and Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary, in Laos, and Cat Tien Bear Sanctuary in Vietnam. Currently, across these sanctuaries we provide life-long care to over 290 bears, in addition to a variety of other rescued wildlife species in Laos.
Free the Bears’ Research Programme was created to improve our understanding of wild bear populations and the threats they face, as well as assess and improve the welfare of the bears in our care. We partner with governments, universities, and other institutions around the world in order to end the exploitation of bears. To improve the protection of bears in the wild, we must first determine the current status of bear populations and habitat, as well as understanding the threats facing bears. By monitoring wild bear populations, we can identify areas that could one day support the release of bears back to the wild.
The Research Programme Officer will work as part of a small team to deliver research activities, building towards successful release of rescued bears and the advancement of bear conservation in Cambodia and beyond.
- Conduct behavioural observations of bears in ex-situ pre-release facilities at the Cambodia Bear Sanctuary;
- Assist in conducting assessments of potential release sites, including bear population status and threat assessments;
- Assist in the delivery of community outreach activities, community workshops and social science research;
- Conduct post-release monitoring of bears;
- Assist with other research, data collection, data management and report writing for Free the Bears’ Research Programme with as required.
- At least Bachelor degree in Forestry, Natural Resource Management, or similar;
- At least 1 year of field research experience implementing wildlife research, supervising teams, and ensuring high quality data collection and adhering to strict research protocols;
- Ability to work responsibly and independently with limited supervision;
- Fluency in spoken and written Khmer, and good English communication skills;
- Good computer literacy including familiarity with Excel and similar spreadsheet programs;
- The capacity to operate in field environments with minimal amenities;
- Demonstrates strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal abilities, particularly abilities to work with diverse groups of people/multi-cultural team;
- Experienced in the use of fieldwork equipment, such as camera traps and GPS, is desirable;
- Previous experience with data entry and report writing will be advantageous;
- Ability to conduct statistical analysis and/or proficiency with GIS would be advantageous;
- Willingness to work on weekends and National Holidays when required, with time off in-lieu.
