Terrestrial Biodiversity Research and Community Assistant
Position Circumstances
- Career Category: Resources & Environment, Agriculture - Forestry, Assistant
- Schedule:Full-time
- Salary: Negotiable
Supervision by : Conservation Manager and Community and Livelihood Manager
Duty Post : Wild Earth Allies Phnom Penh office.
Type of Contract : Consultant Service
The role of this position is to support WEA’s terrestrial project by assisting the Conservation Manager with camera trap monitoring and analysis, accurate data entry, and Human Elephant Conflict (HEC) mitigation activities as required. The position also contributes to community livelihood-based assistance through field data collection, community consultations, documentation, and awareness-raising activities. The role works closely with research officers, managers, and other WEA team members to ensure data quality, timely reporting, and compliance with organizational policies. Ongoing learning and participation in relevant training, particularly in wildlife identification and database management, are essential components of the position.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Key Responsibilities:
- Terrestrial biodiversity research
- Assist in camera trap monitoring in Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary (WS), including data organization and analysis.
- Support human elephant conflict (HEC) mitigation activities in the Cardamom Mountains landscape and elsewhere, as required.
- Assist with pileated gibbon surveys in the Prey Lang and Phnom Samkos WS and elsewhere as required.
- Ensure accurate and complete data entry across all project activities.
- Update the line manager on any data entry issues.
- Prepare and submit monthly progress reports to the line manager.
- Assist in seed collection, germination, planting, and monitoring for habitat restoration activities in Prey Lang and Phnom Samkos WS, as needed.
- Support other WEA projects and tasks, as required.
- Community livelihoods
- Support data assessment collection on community livelihoods in Human–Elephant Conflict (HEC) target sites.
- Support farmer data collection, data entry, and data management using KoBo toolbox.
- Support the organization of community meetings and HEC-related workshops, including minute-taking and document management (e.g., meeting minutes, attendance lists, agreements, and photographs).
- Assist the project team in organizing environmental awareness-raising events at the community level.
- Participate in meetings and workshops organized by partners, as assigned.
- Opportunities and Training Courses
- Attend short training courses on wildlife identification to ensure accurate interpretation of camera-trap footage.
- Complete training in managing camera-trap data using the R program, as provided by the project team.
- Participate in training on data entry, management, and reporting.
- Join additional relevant meetings, training, workshops, and other events, as required.
- Build networks with local and international organizations and relevant stakeholders in the field of conservation.
- Specific Outputs
- Submit monthly reports on data-entry progress and other activities to the Conservation Manager and the Community & Livelihood Manager.
- Report any issues related to daily data entry and field data to relevant supervisors.
- Ensure community and project documents are well organized and properly stored at the head office.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date farmer and community databases, including data collected via KoBo Toolbox.
Expected Profile of Candidates
Languages:
- English - Good
- Khmer - Good
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field (e.g., biology, forestry, environmental or natural resource management).
Skills & Knowledge:
General & Technical Skills
- Demonstrated skills or experience in data entry, data management, and recordkeeping.
- Familiarity with wildlife data sources (e.g., camera traps and field surveys), or a strong willingness to learn.
- Experience with digital data-collection tools, particularly KoBo Toolbox, and other applications, or willingness to learn new tools.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
Soft Skills
- Willingness and ability to support the program team in coordinating community meetings, consultations, and awareness-raising activities at local, sub-national, and national levels.
- Ability to prepare and submit monthly clearance reports in a timely manner.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently within a team.
- Strong attention to detail and high standards for data entry accuracy and quality.
- Ability to build positive working relationships with colleagues and partners; strong teamwork and networking skills.
- Ability to understand and apply organizational policies, procedures, and ethical standards.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills in both English and Khmer.
