Africa Freshwater Fisheries Scientist at Nature Conservancy

• The Africa Freshwater Fisheries Scientist will join TNC’s Global Freshwater Fisheries strategy team and support implementation of fishery and fish biodiversity conservation and management projects with a primary focus in Africa. They will join a diverse team with expertise in governance, management, gender, ecology and rights, matching the socio-ecological complexity of freshwater fisheries. The Global Freshwater Fisheries strategy is part of the newly created Aquatic Food Systems pillar of the TNC’s Global Provide Food and Water unit.
• The Africa Freshwater Fisheries Scientist will work closely with on-the-ground colleagues, fishing communities, partner organizations and governments following a co-management approach to ensure freshwater fisheries are managed for the benefit of people and nature.
• The Africa Freshwater Fisheries Scientist will have two main responsibilities. The first is to contribute to developing resources, training materials, and implementation frameworks for freshwater fisheries program delivery from a global perspective. The second is to provide technical expertise and support TNC community-based freshwater fishery projects throughout Africa. Current TNC inland fisheries projects include Upper Okavango Basin ( Angola), Lake Tanganyika (Tanzania, Zambia, and lake-wide), Bas Ogooué (Gabon) and Upper Kafue Ecosystem (Zambia).
• Candidates with strong quantitative backgrounds in freshwater fisheries science, freshwater fish ecology, or socio-ecological dimensions of freshwater fisheries in the Africa region are encouraged to apply.
• The location for this position is flexible within countries where The Nature Conservancy is a registered NGO and has an established office, with a strong preference for countries in Africa. TNC is registered in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Gabon, Angola, and South Africa in Africa. This position might be eligible for relocation and immigration assistance.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU

• The Africa Freshwater Fisheries Scientist is a unique opportunity to advance the conservation and sustainable use of freshwater fish and freshwater biodiversity in Africa and globally. You will join a global conservation NGO to bridge the gap between theory and on-the-ground implementation to address people and nature needs.
• We are looking for someone who is passionate about freshwater fisheries to apply their technical expertise and experience to advance freshwater fisheries and conservation in Africa. Join TNC and apply today!

Specific Roles And Responsibilities

• As a core member of the Global team, support the delivery of the Freshwater Fisheries Strategy and its objectives.
• Support the development of the Global team’s Centre of Excellence, including leading the creation of a central repository of TNC and external resources related to freshwater fisheries.
• Work closely with TNC country teams in the Africa region to understand project needs and provide technical expertise on freshwater fisheries governance and management.
• Support TNC country teams’ engagement with communities, governments and other partners in fisheries community-based co-management processes.
• Apply a diversity of tools, methods and other resources and advance project implementation through a socio-ecological approach.
• Design and support end-to-end data pathways from survey design, training, analysis through to communicating results to inform management.
• Support project teams’ adoption of a broad approach to freshwater fisheries as people and nature, including accounting for freshwater environments, ecology, community gender and other socio-economic components.
• Deliver freshwater fisheries training to colleagues and partners.
• Represent the context, interests and needs of freshwater fisheries in the African region internally and with external partners.
• Advance knowledge exchange with other regions in the team’s portfolio of projects such as in Latin America.
• Where needed, carry out work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, in hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances. travel may be required for approximately 20% of the time to succeed in this position.

What You'll Bring

• Master’s degree in a science-related field and two years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience leading and working with cross-functional teams.
• Experience synthesizing, interpreting, and communicating scientific information.
• Experience preparing reports of findings.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals.
• Experience working and communicating with a wide range of people.
• Proficiency in English for written and verbal communication.

Desired Qualifications

• A PhD in freshwater fisheries, freshwater fish ecology, socio-ecological dimension of freshwater fisheries, or another related study area.
• Experience with freshwater fishery governance and management in Africa.
• Experience with fishery-related data collection, analysis, and communication.
• Familiarity with human dimensions of fisheries.
• Experience training fishery managers, communities, and partners.
• Multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Proficiency in French and/or Portuguese is desirable.
• Knowledge of software GIS and R applications appreciated.
• Proven negotiation skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to meet deadlines.