Overview

We are currently recruiting a Quantitative Social Scientist to lead our social research programmes, supporting existing conservation initiatives and new partnership projects.

Blue Ventures develops transformative approaches for nurturing and sustaining locally led marine conservation.  We work in places where the ocean is vital to local cultures and economies, and we are committed to protecting marine biodiversity in ways that benefit coastal people.

The effectiveness of Blue Ventures’ work is measured not only through our impact on biodiversity and fisheries, but also through a number of outcomes relating to the well being of the coastal communities we support.  These include poverty alleviation, food security, adaptive capacity to climate change, gender equality, and access to sexual and reproductive health services.

A multidisciplinary team of conservation practitioners currently delivers Blue Ventures’ conservation programmes, with research support from independent researchers and advisors. As we expand our scope to look at new fisheries and embark on new conservation programmes and partnerships, we are developing our in-house social science expertise, in order to improve our capacity to evaluate our programmes for adaptive management, and provide dedicated technical support and training to partner organisations.

The position will play a key role within Blue Ventures’ Madagascar team, reviewing and developing the integrated social survey (ISS) programme through defining indicators and developing formal monitoring methodologies and clear sampling strategies. A crucial part of this role will be supporting the implementation of household surveys, and ensuring clear coordination of field research activities with programme managers as well as to support the presentation and sharing of results with communities, BV team and funders.

The position provides an excellent opportunity to develop new approaches for measuring the impact of marine conservation efforts, making a lasting contribution to the development of effective community based fisheries management models that benefit coastal communities, and helping fight the downward trajectories so many small-scale fisheries and tropical marine ecosystems are experiencing.

The successful candidate will be a highly motivated, experienced social scientist with experience in environmental economics, an excellent knowledge of the small-scale fisheries, marine conservation and development sectors, as well as a proven track record in qualitative and quantitative research skills and peer review publication.

You will thrive in environments that are dynamic, fast-paced, collegiate and ambitious, and be able to demonstrate experience working independently and solving complex problems in challenging environments.  The role entails working as part of an interdisciplinary and international team, with excellent opportunities for professional development.

The Quantitative Social Scientist will report to Blue Ventures’ Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, who is based in Blue Ventures’ United Kingdom offices in Bristol.

Location: Toliara, Madagascar, with considerable in-country travel
Contract duration: fixed term contract (one year, with potential for extension)
Start date: 25 August 2015
Remuneration and benefits: Competitive salary based on experience

Applicants should submit a completed application form, recent CV (including full telephone and e-mail contact details of three professional referees), and cover letter relating to this position vacancy to jobs@blueventures.org. Please include the reference “Quantitative Social Scientist” in the subject line.

The closing date for applications is 12th July 2015 (midnight GMT).