Position: Teaching Assistant, six-week ecology/conservation field course in

Ecuador, winter 2017

Overview
A Teaching Assistant (TA) is needed for a six-week field course in
ecosystem conservation in Ecuador during January 18-March 3, 2017. The
course is offered through Wildlands Studies, LLC, a California-based
company; the course, however, is taught entirely in the field in Ecuador.
Throughout the field course students will explore the ecology of several of
Ecuadors major terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, the natural history of
key plant and animal taxa, and some of the leading conservation
challenges facing the region.
The course begins in Ecuadors Andean highlands, from where we will
descend towards the lowland Amazon and then on to the remote
Galapagos Islands.
Students will learn first-hand about topics ranging from elevational and
latitudinal gradients in biodiversity, island biogeography, wildlife
biology, and historical and current conservation challenges in Ecuador and
South America. Field sites include several sites in the Andes (paramo and
cloud forest), Yasuni National Park (Amazon), and San Cristobal Island
(Galapagos).
Position description
The TA will provide academic and logistical support to the course Lead
Instructor. Duties may include, but are not limited to, co-leading
interpretive group hikes and supervising other group activities,
record-keeping, and general group oversight. Group activities may include
lectures and group discussions led by Wildlands Studies faculty and
visiting researchers, group field research projects such as insect
diversity and sampling, estimation of aboveground carbon storage, and
wildlife monitoring studies. The TA will also assist students in data
collection for independent research projects on topics spanning wildlife
ecology and biology, botany, entomology, and natural history.
The TA is an integral part of the course Risk Management Plan, and thus
theapplicant should also be prepared to work with the Lead Instructor to

manage a variety of potential emergency situations while in the field.

Qualifications
Current certification in CPR/first aid is required. Applicants should have
a bachelors degree in ecology, conservation biology, or a related field.
Applicants with research or teaching experience in the tropics, especially
in Ecuador or South America, and/or knowledge of Neotropical natural
history will be preferred. Applicants should also work well with others in
an intimate field setting under intense physical and emotional pressure and
be mature and detail-oriented. In general, the TA will be responsible for
contributing to a positive learning environment throughout the duration of
the field course.
Compensation
This is an unpaid position. However, all course-related expenses will be
covered, including all room, board, local transportation, and international
round-trip airfare (intl airfare reimbursed upon course completion).
How to apply
To apply send a *single document* containing a cover letter and a current
CV to Dr. Geoff Gallice (course Lead Instructor): geoff.gallice [at]
gmail.com
Deadline to apply: September 15, 2016