Maldives Research Assistant – job description

BLUE MARINE FOUNDATION and MARINE RESEARCH CENTRE

Maldives Research Assistant – Role Description

The Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) is a young, dynamic and determined charity set up in 2010 by the team behind ‘The End of the Line’ to address the crisis in the oceans. Despite its youth BLUE has made significant progress, including facilitating the creation of the largest No Take Zone in the world, developing the UK’s first ‘fully documented sustainable fishery’, and managing a number of cutting edge marine projects in conjunction with partners around the world.

BLUE is working with Six Senses Laamu, the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture (MOFA) and the Marine Research Centre (MRC) to implement the Maldives ‘Grouper Fisheries and Conservation Project’, with a focus on Laamu Atoll for Phase 2 starting in July 2016.

BLUE and the MRC are seeking an experienced, dynamic and confident Research Assistant for the Maldives ‘Grouper Fisheries and Conservation Project’ to help the Maldivian Government further improve the management of grouper fisheries and populations. The post is open to Maldivian nationals only and the post-holder will be employed by the MRC but seconded to the project base on Laamu Atoll for the majority of Phase 2 of the project in 2016.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Start Date: July 11th 2016 (tbc)

Duration of contract: 24 months

Probation Period: 3 months

Salary: 200,000 Rupiah (with travel in the Maldives and living expenses at the project base covered)

Location: Laamu and Male Atolls, Republic of the Maldives with travel to other atolls as required

Benefits: 25 working days annual holiday entitlement plus Public Holidays (Maldivian).

Hours of Work: This is a full-time position, working Sunday to Thursday generally from 8.00am to 5pm, or as required.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Maldives Research Assistant

Reporting to: Maldives Project Coordinator (BLUE) and Research Officer for Grouper Fisheries (MRC)

Responsibilities include:

• Providing technical support for the delivery of the ‘Grouper Fisheries and Conservation Project’ in the Maldives.
  · Providing support and technical advice on specific marine conservation issues in the Maldives, namely grouper conservation and fisheries management.
  · Helping to identify and apply for additional resources to extend Blue Marine Foundation’s work for marine conservation in the Maldives.
  · Assisting with the development of funding proposals for donors and partners, and identifying innovative solutions to marine challenges.
  · Helping to provide donors and partners with comprehensive reports on the Maldives project.
  · Contributing to blogs and updates on BLUE’s and MRC’s websites and other materials
  · Building relationships with other marine NGOs and partner organisations in the Maldives.

Specific Roles:

1. Project Delivery and Management

• On-site delivery of the activities specified for Phase 2 of the project, specifically:

o Grouper sampling for size / maturity assessment
o Fisher interviews
o Grouper spawning aggregation site assessments and management
o Environmental Education and Awareness programme

• Build and strengthen relationships with project partners and stakeholders, particularly island councils, fishermen and local authorities to enable project delivery
• Provide support to partners and agencies for relevant research and monitoring studies as required.
• Support the Project Coordinator in project management tasks

2. Development

• Develop and maintain relationships with other agencies and organisations with an interest in the issue of marine conservation in the Maldives
• Assist the MRC with other work programmes as required

Person specification

To apply for this role, please send a cover letter and your CV to Simon Harding, BLUE’s Head of Conservation: simon@bluemarinefoundation.com