Deadline's extended 21st June 2009.

Volunteer Field Assistant

St. Lucia, Caribbean.

Company : The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

Sector : Conservation

Telephone : 01534 860 087

Since the 1970’s Durrell has been working with the St Lucia Ministry of Agriculture’s Forestry

Department on conservation of the island’s biodiversity. Durrell’s conservation approach is

primarily species led and we focus on the monitoring, protection and management of rare,

endemic and highly threatened species.

To achieve our conservation goals, we rely on the support that volunteers can provide to

minimum of three months in St Lucia, starting early July 2009, and a preference

will be shown to applicants committing to six months.

In the second half of 2009, volunteer activities will be focused around the following, with an

emphasis on the first two:

introduced into the wild in the South West of St Lucia and threaten the genetic integrity

of St Lucia iguanas (in the North East of St Lucia) through hybridization and competion.

geographic structuring of DNA variation, in the northern sub-population.

Ideally, applicants will have a background in biological sciences (preferably at graduate level)

and experience of working in the tropics. However, similar prior experience, a determination

to work, under sometimes uncomfortable or frustrating conditions, combined with good

physical fitness and careful attention to data recording are the most important attributes we

look for. Volunteers will work alongside SLFD staff and local communities around our field

sites.

We need you to cover your flight, vaccinations and personal equipment but we will cover

your insurance and in-country costs for basic subsistence and accommodation. Personal

equipment needs are basic (work clothes, good boots, reliable watch, torch, etc) but we do

ask you to bring your own tent and sleeping mat.

This is the ideal opportunity for someone looking for practical conservation experience

working with some of the world's most threatened species. However this is also fulltime work

that requires the volunteer to be independent and self-motivated. Working hours are typically

long, and usually for 6 days per week with one day off. But the opportunity to live and work

in a tropical country on real conservation projects will be more than compensation for this for

the right candidates.

If you wish to apply, please ensure you have read the longer job description first (the PDF at

(resumé) and a cover letter, together with email contact details for two references. The

selection process will involve short-listing and a phone interview for the short listed

candidates with our Eastern Caribbean Programme Manager, Matthew Morton.