Hiring Organization:
University of Michigan
Position Description:
ONE camp manager needed for The University of Michigan Gelada Research Project, a study of the behavior, communication, endocrinology, and conservation of wild geladas (Theropithecus gelada) – a close relative of baboons. All research is conducted at a field station located in the Simien Mountains National Park of ETHIOPIA. Directors of the project are Drs. Thore Bergman and Jacinta Beehner, faculty at the University of Michigan. The camp manager will be responsible for (a) collecting basic demographic and reproductive data as part of routine monitoring of the well-habituated study population, (b) conducting focal animal samples and collecting fecal samples from individually-recognized geladas (for later laboratory steroid hormone analysis in the USA), (c) recording GPS readings of gelada ranging locations, (d) managing the computer database, and (e) equipment upkeep and personnel management. The gelada population has been studied on a near-daily basis since 2006 and we currently recognize approximately 150 individuals. The camp manager will live in a stone hut located in the national park with 0-3 graduate students (depending on the time of year), and 1-2 Ethiopian staff. Our camp includes one stone house with 3 bedrooms, a full kitchen set-up (including a propane-powered stove and oven), solar panels to power computers and lights, a generator (for electricity during the rainy season), a satellite telephone and modem (for email), a Mitsubishi 4x4 pickup truck, a shower tent (hot showers can be had by heating up water on the stove). There is no running water at the fieldsite, but fresh water can be fetched from a nearby spring. Also, there is no refrigeration at the fieldsite, but we have a project freezer at a nearby eco-lodge (about a 30-minute drive away) where we can store things. For more information on the project directors, the project publications, and some photos of the fieldsite, please see the following websites: http://sitemaker.umich.edu/jacinta.beehner/home, and http://sitemaker.umich.edu/thore.bergman/home.
Qualifications/Experience:
Qualified applicants will have a B.S. or B.A in Biology, Zoology, Biological Anthropology, or a related field. Prior travel and/or field experience in Africa or mountainous regions of Asia or South America preferred. Applicants must be fluent in English and eager to learn Amharic (the national language of Ethiopia). Good physical fitness is essential - the terrain is hilly, the air is thin (due to the high elevation), and the temperatures can get quite cold during the rainy season (nights are sometimes below freezing and days can be cold). Good organizational skills and experience with basic database management a must. Must be able to drive a stick-shift 4x4 truck over rough terrain. Experience with leadership also a plus – as you will be managing several graduate students and field assistants.
Salary/funding:
No salary, but full support (see below)
Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):
Salary/funding: Round-trip airfare and living support provided for the volunteer (travel, meals, lodging). Volunteer will be provided with basic accommodation, food and other basic supplies while at the field site. However, the volunteer is responsible for any additional expenses incurred while traveling in Ethiopia. The project will provide travel health insurance, but the volunteer is required to acquire the necessary vaccinations prior to entry to Ethiopia. The volunteer will need to provide their own winter/alpine condition clothing, footwear and sleeping bag. Advice about what items are necessary for life in the Simien Mountains will be provided to the successful applicant. Applicants committing to a longer period will receive one round-trip flight to their home country halfway through their internship.
Term of Appointment:
Appointment: 1-2 years beginning late January 2010. Because the training process requires 2-4 months, the successful applicant must be willing to work for a minimum of 1 year.
Application Deadline:
Deadline: Position will remain open until filled.
Comments:
Application: Please email the following materials to Dr. Jacinta Beehner at jbeehner@umich.edu: (1) a letter of interest stating how and why this position satisfies your interest and future career goals, explaining your suitability for this project, plus a time frame during which you are available to work, (2) a CV or resume detailing relevant experience, (3) a summary of college courses taken and the grades received, to be followed by an official transcript, and (4) contact information for at least two references, preferably at least one academic reference as well as one person who has worked closely with you or who has closely supervised your work. The subject heading of the email message should read: “Application for field research position”.
Contact Information:
Jacinta Beehner
Dept. of Anthropology, 1085 S. University Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
USA
Telephone Number:
734-764-2415
Website:
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/jacinta.beehner/home
E-mail Address:
jbeehner@umich.edu
University of Michigan
Position Description:
ONE camp manager needed for The University of Michigan Gelada Research Project, a study of the behavior, communication, endocrinology, and conservation of wild geladas (Theropithecus gelada) – a close relative of baboons. All research is conducted at a field station located in the Simien Mountains National Park of ETHIOPIA. Directors of the project are Drs. Thore Bergman and Jacinta Beehner, faculty at the University of Michigan. The camp manager will be responsible for (a) collecting basic demographic and reproductive data as part of routine monitoring of the well-habituated study population, (b) conducting focal animal samples and collecting fecal samples from individually-recognized geladas (for later laboratory steroid hormone analysis in the USA), (c) recording GPS readings of gelada ranging locations, (d) managing the computer database, and (e) equipment upkeep and personnel management. The gelada population has been studied on a near-daily basis since 2006 and we currently recognize approximately 150 individuals. The camp manager will live in a stone hut located in the national park with 0-3 graduate students (depending on the time of year), and 1-2 Ethiopian staff. Our camp includes one stone house with 3 bedrooms, a full kitchen set-up (including a propane-powered stove and oven), solar panels to power computers and lights, a generator (for electricity during the rainy season), a satellite telephone and modem (for email), a Mitsubishi 4x4 pickup truck, a shower tent (hot showers can be had by heating up water on the stove). There is no running water at the fieldsite, but fresh water can be fetched from a nearby spring. Also, there is no refrigeration at the fieldsite, but we have a project freezer at a nearby eco-lodge (about a 30-minute drive away) where we can store things. For more information on the project directors, the project publications, and some photos of the fieldsite, please see the following websites: http://sitemaker.umich.edu/jacinta.beehner/home, and http://sitemaker.umich.edu/thore.bergman/home.
Qualifications/Experience:
Qualified applicants will have a B.S. or B.A in Biology, Zoology, Biological Anthropology, or a related field. Prior travel and/or field experience in Africa or mountainous regions of Asia or South America preferred. Applicants must be fluent in English and eager to learn Amharic (the national language of Ethiopia). Good physical fitness is essential - the terrain is hilly, the air is thin (due to the high elevation), and the temperatures can get quite cold during the rainy season (nights are sometimes below freezing and days can be cold). Good organizational skills and experience with basic database management a must. Must be able to drive a stick-shift 4x4 truck over rough terrain. Experience with leadership also a plus – as you will be managing several graduate students and field assistants.
Salary/funding:
No salary, but full support (see below)
Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):
Salary/funding: Round-trip airfare and living support provided for the volunteer (travel, meals, lodging). Volunteer will be provided with basic accommodation, food and other basic supplies while at the field site. However, the volunteer is responsible for any additional expenses incurred while traveling in Ethiopia. The project will provide travel health insurance, but the volunteer is required to acquire the necessary vaccinations prior to entry to Ethiopia. The volunteer will need to provide their own winter/alpine condition clothing, footwear and sleeping bag. Advice about what items are necessary for life in the Simien Mountains will be provided to the successful applicant. Applicants committing to a longer period will receive one round-trip flight to their home country halfway through their internship.
Term of Appointment:
Appointment: 1-2 years beginning late January 2010. Because the training process requires 2-4 months, the successful applicant must be willing to work for a minimum of 1 year.
Application Deadline:
Deadline: Position will remain open until filled.
Comments:
Application: Please email the following materials to Dr. Jacinta Beehner at jbeehner@umich.edu: (1) a letter of interest stating how and why this position satisfies your interest and future career goals, explaining your suitability for this project, plus a time frame during which you are available to work, (2) a CV or resume detailing relevant experience, (3) a summary of college courses taken and the grades received, to be followed by an official transcript, and (4) contact information for at least two references, preferably at least one academic reference as well as one person who has worked closely with you or who has closely supervised your work. The subject heading of the email message should read: “Application for field research position”.
Contact Information:
Jacinta Beehner
Dept. of Anthropology, 1085 S. University Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
USA
Telephone Number:
734-764-2415
Website:
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/jacinta.beehner/home
E-mail Address:
jbeehner@umich.edu