Site and Research Manager, Republic of Congo (RoC)

Location: Goualougo (Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park), Republic of Congo

Reports to: Nouabalé-Ndoki Director of Research and Biomonitoring

Start Date: June 2024

Type of contract: 1-year full-time contract, renewable

Organizational Context:

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a private US non-profit organization founded in 1895. Its mission is to preserve wildlife and wilderness by understanding critical problems, developing scientific solutions and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, a presence in more than 60 countries, and experience in the creation of more than 150 protected areas around the world, WCS has accumulated the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships needed to ensure that wild places and animal species thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, this knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues that are essential to improving the quality of life of the rural poor whose livelihoods depend on the direct use of natural resources.

WCS Congo Program Overview

Over the past 25 years WCS Congo has been the government’s principle conservation partner, assisting the Ministry of Forest Economy (MEF) in managing wildlife and its habitat in several of the country’s national parks, reserves, and protected area buffer zones. Within these sites WCS is developing and implementing actions for effective wildlife protection; community based natural resource management; ecological monitoring; scientific research; and environmental education. The program is the largest in WCS’s global portfolio and reports to the Regional Program for Central Africa and Gulf of Guinea. WCS Congo’s current portfolio of programs includes the management of the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park through a Public-Private Partnership with the Government of Congo, wildlife management in the substantial buffer zones of the park, co-management of Lac Tele Community Reserve, a national program to support reform of marine conservation and resource management and a substantial policy support program to the central government in Brazzaville.

The Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park (NNNP) covers more than 4,000 square kilometers of intact contiguous lowland rainforest in northern Republic of Congo. The forest is part of the larger Sangha Tri-National Forest Landscape inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region is a stronghold for important populations of large mammals, including forest elephants, western lowland gorillas, and chimpanzees. The park also contains forest clearings that offer a window into the lives of shy forest wildlife, creating fantastic opportunities for tourism development and conservation science.

Created in 1993, the NNNP and its buffer zone have benefited from more than 25 years of collaborative management between the Congolese Government and WCS to emerge as one of the most successful protected areas for the conservation of wildlife in Central Africa. In October 2014, WCS signed a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the Ministry for Forest Economy (MEF), for the long-term management and financing of NNNP, creating the Nouabalé -Ndoki Foundation as the Park management entity under a 25-year agreement. Goualougo is one of the three long term research sites of the Park. The research program is led by Drs David Morgan (Lincoln Park Zoo) and Crickette Sanz (Washington University in St. Louis).

Position Summary:

We are looking for a dynamic Site and Research Manager to implement and supervise research activities at Goualougo research site (GLG), supervise camp management, ensure communication and reporting on all activities occurring at the site, and provide scientific training, supervision and general capacity building to Research Assistants and students. The successful candidate will have a strong scientific background, a strong interest in conservation and capacity building, and will be enthusiastic about working in remote places in tropical forest. This is a full-time position, and the ideal candidate will be able to commit for a minimum of two years.

Main tasks:

Management of Field Research

• Supervise the effective implementation of the research and site management protocols at the research field site.
• Participate in daily follows of apes.
• Participate in habituation of apes.
• Supervise data collection at the site.
• Implement tests of reliability measures to ensure that research team members are collecting data accurately and in a standardized manner.
• Oversee the implementation of the direct observational health program for apes at the site.
• Train Research Assistants in the collection of behavioral and ecological data
• Train Research Assistants in reduced impact protocols for daily ape follows, behavioral monitoring methods, use of portable data collection devices, data management, and reporting.
• Supervise data entry and backups for the research site.
• Upload backups of digital data files to secure server on a monthly basis.
• Ensure the quality of collection, storage, inventory, and transport of biological samples (i.e. fecal, insect samples) obtained at the site, as well coordinated shipment to Bomassa and abroad.

Communication and Reporting

• Be responsible for the application of health and safety protocols, as well as for the maintenance and working status of communication means at the site (satellite internet, Thuraya, Delorme, radio).
• Compile monthly site reports summarizing data collection, field efforts, staff participation, and research highlights.
• Ensure timely and effective communication according to NNNP communication protocols.

Capacity building

• Contribute to the professional development of the Research staff at the site, including research projects to be presented to different audiences nationally and internationally.

Human resources

• Conduct annual staff evaluations of site Research Assistants.
• Contribute to the selection of new hires within the project;

Site management

• Work in close collaboration with NNNP teams and site’s camp staff to ensure the following:
• Efficient planning of staff rotations and presence at the site.
• Effective site logistics and maintenance.
• Excellent stock management (camp and research materials).
• Effective communication and organization of all operations at the sites, including visits of researchers, communication teams and donors.
• Ensure optimal implementation of ape/staff health protocols, research, site logistics and overall functioning of the project.

Qualifications:

• A master’s degree (or higher education) in Biological Sciences, or other relevant conservation field experience.
• At least 3 years of experience in Africa in a similar role.
• A minimum of working proficiency in French and English, both oral and written.
• Good knowledge of animal behavior and ecology are crucial for a successful application, as well as experience in managing a remote field site.
• Previous experience in project management (staff supervision, work-planning and reporting, etc.).
• Knowledge of Excel/Word is mandatory, with working knowledge of GIS, SMART and R also preferable.
• Field tracking and navigation skills (with GPS and compass) are essential, with previous training in wilderness first aid also preferred.
• Previous experience using camera traps for research is also preferred.
• Excellent social and communication skills with local staff and all cooperation partners; s/he should be able to work in a multicultural and multinational environment while living in isolated field camps (solar power, limited satellite internet and no running water).
• They need to be physically fit, enough for forest work in tropical climate.
• Additional skills could be a plus: mechanical aptitude, construction skills, electrical skills, and problem-solving mindset.