ThaiNGO

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Field Team Researcher, Salakpra Elephant Behavior Project

**Thai Nationals Only** Minimum of Bachelor's degree in forestry, psychology, conservation biology, or similar field required.

We are looking for an independent, self-motivated field researcher to join our behavioral research project in Kanchanaburi. This is a unique position collecting data on elephant behavior while working with park rangers, local farmers, and other researchers. 

The Salakpra Elephant Behavior Project began in 2019 and aims to identify the elephants of the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary, to study their behavior by observing them and conducting experiments to investigate their intelligence. This work is focused on applying the study of elephant behavior to elephant conservation and to the development of new solutions to human-elephant conflict in Thailand. You will be employed by the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (a Thai non-profit charity) on behalf of the Comparative Cognition for Conservation Lab at Hunter College, City University of New York, in New York, USA.

Job duties include:

· Maintaining and installing field equipment, and checking cameras in the field (e.g., changing batteries, collecting SD cards and repositioning equipment as needed)

· Maintaining good communication with the farmers and rangers about our research

· Spending some nights each month in watchtowers recording footage of elephants and their interactions with farmers

· Reviewing elephant video data in the office and in the field and processing video data for upload 

· Managing budgets and finances for the project and maintaining equipment 

· Preparing reports for Thai government agencies 

· Potentially representing the project at local or international conferences

· Represent the project at Thailand events and to the Thai media

· Coordinating research activities with U.S. research team in New York

 Skills required:

· Thai driver's license is required. Experience driving and performing basic maintenance (changing tires, etc.) on 4-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles in rough terrain is required.

· Good written and spoken communications skills in English and Thai. Must be fluent in English.

· Must be willing to spend at least 3 nights at a time in rustic conditions without running water. The job will involve splitting time between the field (accommodations include tents, hammocks and basic toilet facilities) and an air-conditioned office.

· Familiarity with Microsoft Office is required. Experience with R and Dropbox is desirable.

Employment:

· Accommodation is provided in an air-conditioned house/office in Kanchanaburi. Salary is highly competitive (starting at 25,000THB, negotiable) and commensurate with experience. You will be hired by a Thai non-profit charity and provided with accident insurance. The position would start December 1, 2022 if possible (but in no case later than January 1, 2023).

Please send your resume/CV and a cover letter (in English) to Dr. Joshua Plotnik (joshelephant@gmail.com). He will contact you if you are selected for an interview.