The Association for the Conservation of the Amazon Basin (ACCA, by the Spanish acronym for La Asociación para la Conservación de la Cuenca Amazónica) is a Peruvian non-profit organization whose mission is to conserve biological diversity through effective policies that lead to sustainable land-use practices and environmental protection. Since 1999, ACCA has developed projects and programs that have built a solid foundation for biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of natural resources in the Andes-Amazon region of Peru. ACCA is an organization with extensive experience in the management of conservation areas, sustainable forests, and natural resources, and in scientific research related to the impacts of climate change on biodiversity. ACCA’s mission emphasizes the creation of public policies based on science to conserve the biodiversity of the areas in which it works.
ACCA has three offices (in Lima, Puerto Maldonado, and Cuzco) and three biological research stations: two of the stations are located within the buffer zone of Manu National Park in the Cuzco region, while the third is in the Madre de Dios region, on the banks of the Madre de Dios River and adjacent to the 360,000-acre Los Amigos Conservation Concession, also managed by ACCA. The biological stations are spaces that promote the training of researchers and the development of research that is of high-importance for the conservation of Andes-Amazonian ecosystems.
ACCA seeks to hire a Director of Science and Research to be based in Lima.
Position Description:
The Director of Science and Research is responsible for directing, promoting, managing, regulating, and systematizing the science, research, and education activities of the organization, with particular emphasis on activities carried out at ACCA’s three biological stations. Similarly, an important component of this position is to communicate these findings and work within the national and international science and conservation communities, and to maintain fluid communication with researchers, academics, donors, local leaders, students, and national and regional authorities in Lima, Madre de Dios, and Cuzco.
The main objective of the Director is to position ACCA’s biological stations as leaders in research of ecosystems of the Andes-Amazon region through the pursuit and promotion of research and funding opportunities that also contribute to the stations’ financial sustainability.
The Director will:
Report and coordinate their actions directly with the Executive Director of the organization.
Coordinate closely with the directors of regional offices, management of the biological stations, and the headquarters of our partner Amazon Conservation Association in Washington, D.C.
Supervise the work of the Science and Sustainable Agriculture Coordinators at ACCA’s biological stations.
Functions:
Develop and present to the Board of Directors a research plan for the organization, promoting key research priorities that improve the effectiveness of our conservation efforts.
Develop and implement a research plan for each of the biological stations, according to research priorities defined to ensure compliance with contractual commitments and institutional goals.
Propose to the Board of Directors the processes and policies that allow for the improved implementation of research activities.
Analyze the scientific aspects of our programs and projects, and propose, formulate, or revise methodologies to be used as needed.
Oversee the research scholarship program and, in coordination with the Science Coordinators, provide technical support to scholarship recipients.
Disseminate at the national and international level the services offered by ACCA, creating connections with researchers and professors at national and foreign universities to encourage them to conduct their research at ACCA’s three biological stations.
Lead the systematization and dissemination of information produced by scientists to regional and national authorities so that it can be used for the implementation of public policy.
Oversee the follow-up and maintenance of a database of key performance indicators and other information about station visitors and activities.
Support the Science Coordinators of the biological stations to develop research lines and in the publication of their findings.
Contribute to the identification and search for researchers, courses, and other potential users of ACCA’s biological stations.
Actively search for and develop proposals for the funding of research projects and for the maintenance and implementation of science programming at the biological stations.
Lead the volunteer program at the biological stations, creating priority volunteer activities and projects at each station.
Organize training courses at the biological stations as part of the implementation of the Science and Research Program.
Represent ACCA at events, trips to the field, and in any other public setting, particularly those related to science.
Actively participate in national and international conferences in order to promote scientific research at ACCA’s biological stations.
Participate in the organization’s strategic planning efforts, contributing specific requirements related to your area of expertise and experience.
Requirements:
Professional in Biology, Forestry, Ecology, Environmental Science, or a related field with a minimum of 3 years of scientific fieldwork in rural areas in the Andes-Amazon region.
Master’s or PhD preferred in themes related to conservation and biodiversity management in ecosystems of the Andes-Amazon.
Required: excellent oral and written communication in English and Spanish (Reading, speaking, and writing in English must be at a level of full professional competency).
Highly Preferred: Peruvian candidates or candidates with extensive experience working in the Peruvian Amazon.
Ability to coordinate with multiple actors and work as part of a team and to develop activities in diverse cultural settings.
Good physical condition to work in remote locations under extreme conditions.
Ability to travel a minimum of 60% of the time.
Knowledge of computer systems for biological data analysis (ideally ArcGIS, Maxent, Distance, R, etc.)
At least three publications in indexed and peer-reviewed scientific publications; of these, at least two as the principal author.
Specialization in ornithology and/or experience or interest in birdwatching would be considered a plus.
Send a resume and cover letter, as well as:
Salary history
Salary expectations
Three professional references
Mail the following documents to the email address: rrhh@conservacionamazonica.org with a subject line that indicates you are applying for the "Director of Science and Research" position. Only selected candidates will be contacted.