Job Opportunity:
Research Coordinator
Mondul kiri Province, Cambodia
If you have an educational background and good experience in wildlife research and in particular
primatology and you’re looking for an opportunity to take on more management responsibility in
a role that involves coordinating, supervising, and developing primate research, then we have an
exciting opportunity for you. We are looking for an experienced and ambitious person to
coordinate gibbon and biodiversity research, collaborate with research partners and develop a
local research team.
About Jahoo
At Jahoo, we provide unparalleled gibbon watching experiences that motivate conservation action
and promote indigenous culture. Visitors join gibbon researchers to track a habituated group of
southern yellow-cheeked crested gibbons, gaining unparalleled access to this endangered species.
Led by indigenous local guides, guests can witness traditional forest skills, explore remote
waterfalls, and spot other rare primates and unique wildlife. Overnight accommodation and meals
are provided at the exclusive Bamboo Camp where guests are based throughout their wildlife
experience.
Jahoo is a small community-owned initiative, supported by the Ministry of Environment (MoE),
World Hope International (WHI) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), providing wildlife- friendly livelihoods in wildlife-tourism and research, motivating conservation action, and supporting social development with the unique southern yellow-cheeked crested gibbon as its flagship species. Jahoo is located within the core protection zone of Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary (KSWS), the most biodiverse protected area in Cambodia and the last stronghold for this gibbon species protecting a globally critical population of approximately 1,200 gibbons. More information on Jahoo can be found here: www.gibbon.life and www.tripadvisor.com Background
The Jahoo Research Centre vision is under development to create a nationally important and
internationally recognized Research Centre, implementing conservation research on gibbons, and
other wildlife, through partnerships with national institution and international universities. The
research team is already habituating 3 families of southern yellow-cheeked crested gibbons
(Nomascus gabriellae) to human presence for wildlife-based tourism and conservation research.
Projects on bioacoustics, primate canopy bridges, camera trap networks, forest phenology and
gibbon behavioral ecology are underway with partners such as the Wildlife Conservation Society
(WCS), Cornell University and the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP).
The Research Centre is based at the Bamboo Camp at Jahoo which provides ecotourism facilities,
staff and visiting researcher accommodation and a well-equipped office. The Research Centre
employs and trains indigenous Bunong youth in research, developing skills, knowledge and
developing their capacity to conduct conservation research. The Research Centre collaborates with
important national and international institutions on research projects such as developing Passive
Acoustic Monitoring technology with Cornell University, hosting, and supervising research projects
of MSc Wildlife Conservation students from the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP). The
Research Centre is also developing its own long-term databases on gibbon behavioral-ecology and
forest phenology as well as other biodiversity surveys on key wildlife within the protected forest.
The Role
A successful Research Coordinator will be able to lead the implementation of a gibbon research
and biodiversity research project portfolio in collaboration with research partners such as RUPP,
Cornell University and WCS. The Research Coordinator should be technically able, a clear
communicator, able to manage multiple research activities at once, and adept at teaching and
coaching a local research team. Previous successful Research Coordinator have been those that
have a passion for field-based primate research, demonstrated leadership skills, and were well
organized and disciplined.
Success is delivering the research project portfolio to plan, on time and with high-quality and
scientific rigorous data, developing local staff research skills and knowledge, collaborating well
with research partners including supporting the development of new partners, projects and new
research grants.
The role of the Research Coordinator is to:
• Manage the day-to-day research operations ensuring that the local research team are
organized, well-trained and supervised and are ultimately collecting the best quality data
possible, following the protocols and methodologies.
• Ensure that the research strategy and work-plan is coordinated and implemented to ensure
that all research activities are delivered to a high standard and on time.
• Oversee the increased development and performance of the local research team through the
development of protocols and standards and delivering of technical training and customized
on-the-job coaching to improve staff performance and capacity.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Research Coordinator are to:
- Manage the habituation of gibbon groups, following protocol, monitor the progress, set
monthly goals and targets to the team, ensure team motivation, and problem solve any issues
that are barriers to progress.
- Support the development of gibbon behavioral-ecology data collection, lead the training of the
local research team in protocols and data entry, and deliver on-the-job coaching to ensure high
quality data collection.
- Ensure that the phenology plots are implemented according to protocol, following the data
collection protocol and oversee the development of an herbarium at the Research Centre.
- Ensure the deployment of camera traps following protocol, maintenance of data and
processing of images using Wildlife Insights.
- Assist in the design of research activities, development of protocols and training materials, and
deliver staff training on new protocols.
- Develop monthly and weekly work plans and staff schedules and coordinate the local team to
achieve research objectives on time.
- Assist with producing internal and external reports for donors and partners to share findings
and progress. Collaborate with researchers on writing scientific papers.
- Be flexible to collect a wide range of data accurately such as socio-economic data, illegal
activities, and agricultural data. Have the opportunity Collaborate with the community team
to investigate, design, and implement community-focused research and projects.
- Input, review, and clean data whilst ensuring data is stored safely and in an organized and
accessible way. Produce informative graphs and results to help the local research team
understand progress and improvement targets.
- Represent the Jahoo Research Centre to our local partners and stakeholders, especially to
government counterparts, ensuring our partners are engaged and informed about our results
and progress through presentations and workshops.
- Participate in training activities and learning workshops with our local partners and ensure that
new skills and knowledge are passed on to the local research team.
- Provide supervision to the local research team, ensuring health and safety and that staff follow
procedures and policies such as correct uniform, care of equipment and materials and behavior
in the workplace.
- Ensure care, security, maintenance, preparation and organization of field equipment and
materials as well as ensuring the Research Centre is cared for, organized, and fit for purpose.
- Ensure that the local research team adheres to policies and procedures (uniforms etc.), updates
staff HR records (disciplinary, leave, attendance timesheets etc.), and liaises with human
resources where necessary.
- Create visual assets (photos and videos) for the development of marketing and promotion
campaigns to raise the Research Centre’s profile.
- Provide support to visiting researchers, interns, and volunteers at Jahoo.
- Support wildlife education and outreach activities in the community including at schools with
children and youth and hosting community delegations and events at Jahoo.
- Support wildlife-watching activities such as guiding guests on specialist researcher-led
gibbon/wildlife-watching tours.
Requirements
• Graduated with at least an undergraduate degree in primatology, conservation, biology, or a
related field. Master’s degree is desirable.
• At least 2 years of experience in implementing wildlife research in the field with a proven
track record supervising teams and following data collection protocols to a high standard.
• Experience living and working in relatively remote and challenging settings in a multi-cultural
team in a developing country context is preferred.
• Fluency in English and a proven ability to learn a new language quickly to a basic / working
proficiency is preferred.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and people skills, especially with people of varying
levels of ability and motivation.
• Able to use Microsoft Office (word and excel), statistical software such as R, and spatial
analysis software such as QGIS.
• Ambitious, organized, and self-motivated.
• A valid driving license and experience with 4WD vehicles on off-road driving is desirable.
• Basic first aid training or wilderness first aid is desirable.
Location
Jahoo, Andong Kraleung Village, Sen Monorom Commune, O’reang District, Mondulkiri Province,
Cambodia
Note: Shared tented accommodation at the Bamboo Camp is provided whilst working at the site.
Note: Most staff rent housing in the nearby town of Sen Monorom a 30-minute commute from
Jahoo.
Start Date
Start as soon as possible, January/February 2024 is desirable.
One-year contract with possibility of extension.
Note: Contract extension is dependent on the availability of funding and good performance.
Reports to
Jahoo Program Manager
Salary
The salary range is from 1500-2500 USD per month and is to be negotiated and will be based on
experience.
Note: Salary range includes benefits such as medical insurance, seniority payments, provident
fund, 13th month bonus, National Social Security Fund, contribution to fuel and communication
costs. Other additional benefits include a flexible leave cycle (to be negotiated) and contribution
toward return flight after successful completion of 12 months.
How to Apply
Send your CV and cover letter, using the subject heading “Research Coordinator” to
research@gibbon.life
The cover letter should highlight why you think you’d be a strong candidate for the role, using examples
where possible and relating them to the responsibilities of the role.
Deadline for applications is December 10th
, 2023.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an online interview between December 11 – 15, 2023.
Interested, but have questions?
Don’t hesitate to contact research@gibbon.life with an initial expression of interest, queries
about the role and your suitability before you apply.
