Research Assistants - Tropical Forests and Climate Change Adaptation (TroFCCA) Project
(3 national positions, based in Yaoundé, Bangui and Kinshasa respectively)
Headquartered in Bogor, Indonesia with offices in Africa and South America, the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) is a leading international forestry research organization established in response to global concerns about the social, environmental, and economic consequences of forest loss and degradation.
Research Assistants - Tropical Forests and Climate Change Adaptation (TroFCCA) Project
(3 national positions, based in Yaoundé, Bangui and Kinshasa respectively)
Headquartered in Bogor, Indonesia with offices in Africa and South America, the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) is a leading international forestry research organization established in response to global concerns about the social, environmental, and economic consequences of forest loss and degradation. CIFOR is dedicated to developing policies and technologies for sustainable use and management of forest products and services, and for enhancing the well being of people in developing countries who rely on tropical forests. CIFOR works in over 30 countries worldwide and has links with researchers in 50 international, regional and national organizations. CIFOR is a member of the CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research).
CIFOR is looking for three (3) Research Assistants to join
the Tropical Forests and Climate Change Adaptation (TroFCCA) Project
Tropical Forests and Climate Change Adaptation (TroFCCA) is a four year EU-funded project of CIFOR and CATIE implemented in eight countries across three continents; Central America (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras); West Africa (Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana) and Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines). The primary goal of the project is mainstreaming climate change adaptation into national development policies. TroFCCA will be replicating its activities in the Congo Basin Forests through a three year IDRC funding under the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa (CCAA) program.
(More detailed information about the project is described in the Terms of Reference of the position)
The Research Assistants will report to the Regional Coordinator and the Scientist for Central Africa, TroFCCA, and will be responsible for the following activities:
1. Assist in project management:
* Maintaining appropriate communications with key stakeholders and partners, including local and national government agencies, environmental and development, social advocacy NGOs, (private companies – if applicable), and donor organizations;
* Contribute to the development of project proposals;
* Maintain and monitor financial records, in close collaboration with the Finance Unit;
* Assist in organizing workshops, training or field work as required;
* Assist in reporting (minutes, translation, etc);
* Other duties as required by the project.
2. Participate in research:
* Coordinate research/fieldwork to achieve all the project field-base objectives;
* Maintain databases related to the project
* Conduct and document a regional literature search and review of forest ecosystem services provision, livelihoods etc data analysis
* Assist with baseline characterizations of livelihood strategies, vulnerability analysis (gender vulnerability analysis, indigenous groups etc)
* Assist in the elaboration of forest communities perception of climate change and climate risks,
* Conduct surveys for the identification of indigenous and innovative coping strategies
* Assist in project monitoring and evaluation
* Assist with the preparation and publication of research results/reports;
* Assist in other research activities as required.
3. Qualifications and Competencies:
a. Technical Competencies:
* A relevant university degree, or equivalent qualifications and experience in forestry, ecology, environmental sciences, social sciences (sociology, anthropology, economics, etc).
* At least 2 years of relevant professional experience preferably in the Central African region, and multidisciplinary working environment;
* Familiarity with aid donor activities and processes is desirable;
* Excellent command in written and spoken English and French
* Strong computer skills in word processing and other relevant office applications software packages (i.e. MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Access).
b. Personal Competencies:
* Ability to work with a high degree of autonomy and to take initiative and exercise good judgment;
* Competency in personal organization, priority setting and accuracy, with the ability to work effectively under time pressure and manage multiple priorities;
* Good interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively interact with people in a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural environment and to be an effective team player;
* Creative, and flexible to respond to changing requirements.
Terms and Conditions:
* The Research Assistants of TroFCCA are National recruited positions, based in Yaounde Cameroon; Bangui Central African Republic, and Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo.
* CIFOR offers a competitive remuneration and will be commensurate with skills and experience.
* The appointment will be for a period of 2 years from the date of appointment (including 3 months probationary period), with a possibility of extension contingent upon performance, continued relevance of the position and available resources.
Applications:
Letter of application and curriculum vitae should be submitted in both English and French (including names and full contact details of two or more professional referees) and sent by email not later than January 20, 2008 to:
CIFOR Central Africa Regional Office
C/O PO BOX 2008, Messa Yaoundé
Email: cifor.cameroon@cgiar.org
Please indicate the position in the email subject.
To know more about the position, please go to CIFOR website: http://www.cifor.cgiar.org
CIFOR is an international and equal opportunity organization. We believe that diversity of our staff contributes to excellence, and we encourage applications from women and nationals from developing countries
