Position: Teaching Assistant, six-week ecology/conservation field course in Ecuador, winter 2017
Overview A Teaching Assistant (TA) is needed for a six-week field course in ecosystem conservation in Ecuador during January 18-March 3, 2017. The course is offered through Wildlands Studies, LLC, a California-based company; the course, however, is taught entirely in the field in Ecuador. Throughout the field course students will explore the ecology of several of Ecuador’s major terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, the natural history of key plant and animal taxa, and some of the leading conservation challenges facing the region. The course begins in Ecuador’s Andean highlands, from where we will descend towards the lowland Amazon and then on to the remote Galapagos Islands. Students will learn first-hand about topics ranging from elevational and latitudinal gradients in biodiversity, island biogeography, wildlife biology, and historical and current conservation challenges in Ecuador and South America. Field sites include several sites in the Andes (paramo and cloud forest), Yasuni National Park (Amazon), and San Cristobal Island (Galapagos). Position description The TA will provide academic and logistical support to the course Lead Instructor. Duties may include, but are not limited to, co-leading interpretive group hikes and supervising other group activities, record-keeping, and general group oversight. Group activities may include lectures and group discussions led by Wildlands Studies faculty and visiting researchers, group field research projects such as insect diversity and sampling, estimation of aboveground carbon storage, and wildlife monitoring studies. The TA will also assist students in data collection for independent research projects on topics spanning wildlife ecology and biology, botany, entomology, and natural history. The TA is an integral part of the course Risk Management Plan, and thus the applicant should also be prepared to work with the Lead Instructor to manage a variety of potential emergency situations while in the field. Qualifications Current certification in CPR/first aid is required. Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree in ecology, conservation biology, or a related field. Applicants with research or teaching experience in the tropics, especially in Ecuador or South America, and/or knowledge of Neotropical natural history will be preferred. Applicants should also work well with others in an intimate field setting under intense physical and emotional pressure and be mature and detail-oriented. In general, the TA will be responsible for contributing to a positive learning environment throughout the duration of the field course. Compensation This is an unpaid position. However, all course-related expenses will be covered, including all room, board, local transportation, and international round-trip airfare (int’l airfare reimbursed upon course completion). How to apply To apply send a *single document* containing a cover letter and a current CV to Dr. Geoff Gallice (course Lead Instructor): geoff.gallice [at] gmail.com Deadline to apply: September 15, 2016
