JOB OPPORTUNITY
Field Team Researcher, Salakpra Elephant Behavior Project
Starting salary minimum of 25,000THB, negotiable
**Thai Nationals Only** Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in forestry, psychology, conservation biology, or similar field required.
Where You Will Work:
The job is based in Kanchanaburi city, with daily work conducted from our main research office in town. Travel will occur regularly via office vehicle to and from field sites inside the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding villages within Kanchanaburi province.
Who You Are:
We are looking for an independent, self-motivated field researcher to join our behavioral research project in Kanchanaburi. This is a unique position collecting data on elephant behavior while working with park rangers, local farmers, and other researchers. You will join a team of Thai field team researchers and American students and scientists as a full-time member of the staff.
The Salakpra Elephant Behavior Project aims to identify the elephants of the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary, to study their behavior by observing them and conducting experiments to investigate their intelligence. This work is focused on applying the study of elephant behavior to elephant conservation and to the development of new solutions to human-elephant conflict in Thailand. You will be employed by the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (a Thai non-profit charity) on behalf of the Comparative Cognition for Conservation Lab at Hunter College, City University of New York, in New York, USA.
Your Job Duties May Include:
- Communicating effectively with the farmers and rangers about our research
- Maintaining field equipment, managing equipment inventory and checking cameras in the field (e.g., changing batteries, collecting SD cards and repositioning equipment as needed)
- Assisting with the development and installation of research experiments in the field, as well as the maintenance of devices used to study how elephants respond to new objects and puzzles, and different sounds, smells and lights
- Reviewing elephant video data in the office and processing video data for upload
- Spending nights regularly in watchtowers recording footage of elephants and their interactions with farmers
- Managing budgets and finances for the project
- Maintaining the office and research vehicles and communicating with outside agencies as needed when equipment or vehicles need repair.
- Preparing reports for Thai government agencies
- Potentially representing the project at local or international conferences
- Representing the project at Thailand events and to the Thai media
- Contributing to the project’s social media accounts and posting content
- Additional research, administrative, clerical or maintenance work as required
Skills You Should Have:
- Thai driver’s license is required.
- Fluency in English and Thai language is required.
- Experience driving 4×4 vehicles is highly preferred.
- Must be willing to spend time in watchtowers to observe elephants overnight. The job will involve splitting time between the field (accommodations may include tents, hammocks and basic toilet facilities) and an air-conditioned office.
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office is required. Experience with R and Dropbox is desirable.
Your Employment:
- Salary is highly competitive (minimum of 25,000THB) and commensurate with experience. You will be hired by a Thai non-profit charity and provided with accident insurance. The position would start on or around February 1, 2025.
How To Apply:
Please send your resume/CV and a cover letter (in English) to Dr. Joshua Plotnik (joshelephant@gmail.com). He will contact you if you are selected for an interview.