[BERG] FW: Field Position, Monogamous Primates of Ecuador

[Phyllis Lee]

________________________________________
From: Eduardo Fernandez-Duque [eduardof at sas.upenn.edu]
Sent: 09 January 2012 19:42

Subject: Field Position, Monogamous Primates of Ecuador

Dear colleagues,

I would like to ask if you could please be so kind of circulating the
announcement and link below. We are looking for a field assistant to
join our monogamous primate project in Ecuador.

Thanks,

Eduardo

http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/jobs/listings/2417

Category: field
Title: Field Assistant: comparative socioecology of monogamous titi and saki monkeys of Ecuador
Hiring Organization: Dr. Eduardo Fernandez-Duque- University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Anthony Di Fiore- University of Texas at Austin, and Amy Porter- Ph.D. candidate, University of California Davis
Date Posted: 2012-01-09
Expiration date: 2012-04-08
Position Description: We are searching for a highly motivated and self-reliant field assistant to work on a comparative study of red titi monkeys (Callicebus discolor) and equatorial saki monkeys (Pithecia aequatorialis) in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Titis and sakis have both been classified as socially monogamous and yet they show distinct differences in their social behavior, level of paternal care, and degrees of territoriality. Our study is investigating pair-mate relationships and the relative investment of the sexes in territorial behavior. Assistants will be responsible for collecting social behavior, foraging, ranging, demographic, and life history data from three titi groups and two saki groups. Other responsibilities will include assistance with playback experiments to simulate intergroup encounters, recording vocalizations, and data entry. Assistants will be trained in all relevant data collection and archiving methods, including behavioral sampling on handheld comput!
  ers, radio-telemetry, database manipulation, etc.

Assistants will not be allowed to collect data for publication independent of our research project – e.g. for their own theses. Ideally, this experience will be seen as an internship for your own future research. We do, however, strongly encourage assistants to work with us coauthoring papers based on or stemming from the data they assist in collecting. If you are interested in pursuing a graduate degree that involves fieldwork in the tropics, this will be a fantastic experience.
Qualifications: Applicants should have a BS/BA in Primatology, Animal Behavior, Biological Anthropology, Biology, Ecology, or a related field. Although previous experience with primates is not necessary, previous experience with animals, camping, or working outdoors is strongly preferred. The ideal applicant should have prior experience with living or working in a foreign country, preferably a developing country in the tropics. Knowledge of Spanish is helpful, but not necessary. Experience with collecting systematic data in a scientific context is preferred, and a strong interest in primate behavior and ecology a must. In general, applicants must be in good physical and mental condition; feel comfortable being far away from family and friends; be emotionally mature, energetic, and VERY patient; have an excellent eye for detail; not be afraid of bugs, snakes, or being alone in the forest; have very good social skills, especially in small groups; and be able to maintain a posi!
  tive and humorous attitude towards challenging and tiring work.

This work will be rigorous and demanding. Assistants will be expected to work about 11 hours in the field each day, about 20 days out of each month. The terrain in the research site is quite hilly in places, seasonally floods in others, and the climate is often hot, humid, and rainy – this is a rainforest just south of the Equator in which 3 to 4 meters of rain falls a year – thus persistence, maturity, dedication, and good humor are very important. Preference will be given to applicants with previous outdoor experience in demanding environments.
Salary/funding: Applicants must pay their own round-trip airfare to Quito, Ecuador (cost varies) and for travel within Ecuador to and from the research station (circa US$200). Assistants are also responsible for the costs of obtaining a visa to work in Ecuador (circa US$350), for health insurance and immunizations that permit that work (proof of yellow fever immunization is a must; vaccination against typhoid, rabies, hepatitis, etc., are all also strongly recommended), their own personal field clothes and gear (backpack, insect repellent, digital watch with a chronometer and timer, headlamp, water bottles, etc). Successful applicants will be expected to cover their first month of station fees ($32/day=$960) in advance as soon as they arrive. After that first month, the remaining station fees will be covered by the investigators. Station fees include on-site lodging, laundry, and three meals daily.
Term of Appointment: Minimum 3 month commitment, longer commitments preferred.
Application Deadline: Applications will be considered until the position is filled.
Comments: please send an email to Amy Porter (spizaetusornatus at gmail.com) with copies to Anthony Di Fiore (anthony.difiore at mail.utexas.edu) and Eduardo Fernandez-Duque (eduardof at sas.upenn.edu).
Please submit to all THREE people the following documentation in ONE single PDF file saved with your name in the file name (e.g. “JohnSmith.pdf”).

1. CV including relevant coursework, previous field/outdoor experience, and where/how you can be contacted
2. Letter of interest (please include dates you are available)
3. References from three persons (preferably professors or research supervisors with whom you’ve worked closely) in which they provide information about your experiences, skills, and training.
Contact Information:
Please direct all initial inquiries regarding the application process or project to Amy Porter
431 University Museum, 3260 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
US
Telephone Number:
Fax Number: 001-215-898-7462
Website: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~eduardof/
E-mail Address: eduardof at sas.upenn.edu
If you wish to make changes to this posting, visit pin.primate.wisc.edu/jobs/edit/2417.
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