Overview

About this Job
Para La Tierra is searching for talented and hard-working biologists, from undergraduates, right through to post-docs, to join our team in Paraguay for upwards of three months. Our independent research placement program provides young biologists an opportunity to step out of the classroom and into the field, gaining hands-on experience running a research project of their own design.

Before arriving, Independent Researchers (IRs) are supported as they develop a research project, review the relevant literature, and create a methodology with the support of our on-site Research Supervisor. Once in-country, IRs practice the field techniques required for their project with guidance from professional in-country biologists. Whether it’s mist-netting for birds in the early hours of the morning, walking transects at midday or staying out late hunting for frogs, PLT will make sure that our IRs are confident in the methodology needed to move their research forward. Towards the end of the stay, all our IRs give a final presentation in which they share the results of their study with other IRs and the on-site professional scientific team. The IR program is designed to give young scientists the opportunity to take control of every step of a scientific project. From conception to completion, our IRs are in the driver seat.

When was the last time that your professor gave you the option to choose what you wanted to study? When was the last time your boss told you to follow your own passion?

At Para La Tierra, we specialize in supporting young biologists in gaining the skills they need to enter further education or the job market. Based in Paraguay, the ‘Heart of South America,’ we are the country’s only year-round research station. Over the past 11 years, we have published over 130 peer-reviewed articles and even discovered several species new to science. Along the way, over 500 IRs have helped contribute to the better understanding of Paraguay’s understudied habitats.

Our research station is located in the city of Pilar, a beautiful location in the south of Paraguay, and the gateway to the Ñeembucú Wetland Complex (NWC). The NWC is composed of a mosaic of habitats, including grasslands, marches and Humid Chaco. Deep forests lining the rivers and streams running through the area are bursting with wildlife, while river monsters the size of small cars lurk in the murky waters.

Come discover for yourself what Paraguay has to offer.

Our IRs finish the program taking away a long list of newly learned skills, a professional reference, and one heck of an experience to share at their next interview. But they also leave behind a great deal. All of our projects are directly involved in conserving this threatened habitat. The scientific investigations of the area help raise awareness of the ecological importance of Ñeembucu at both the national and international levels. The most successful projects are published in scientific journals, further raising the profile of Paraguay at the international level, and many IRs make their way onto the author line for the first time in their early careers through their work with Para La Tierra.

How to apply
The application period is rolling and there are no start or end dates, so the trip can be organized to suit the project and the person. IRs must be available to stay for a minimum of three months.
Applicants must be over 18 years old and have, or be working towards, a degree in a biology related subject. Conversational English or Spanish is required. To apply please email your CV to Jack@paralatierra.org .

Costs –  $925 per month for the 1st two months and $875 for each subsequent month.

Para La Tierra charges IRs to cover the costs of their stay. The price includes all living costs including three meals a day, a bed in shared accommodation with hot showers and access to WiFi. The fee also covers daily drives to the field sites, the use of all PLT’s scientific equipment, professional project supervision, administrative and domestic service costs associated with the stay, and a small contribution to Para La Tierra’s conservation and education projects.

A 25% discount is available for South American nationals.

About Para La Tierra
Saving Paraguay’s Wildlife through scientific research, education and community engagement, while empowering the next the generation of conservationists!

Fundación Para La Tierra is a non profit organization dedicated to the conservation of threatened habitats and fauna in Paraguay through scientific investigation, community engagement and environmental education. We are based in the beautiful city of Pilar – The City of Birds – and work across Southern Paraguay, from the expansive Ñeembucú Wetland Complex to the endangered Atlantic Forest.

At Para La Tierra, we specialize in helping students and graduates develop the skills they need to take the next step in their career, either towards higher education or into the job market. Over the past decade, we have hosted over 1,500 interns, each of whom has made a tangible contribution to the conservation of the fragile species and understudied ecosystems of Paraguay. We are now very excited to also offer remote learning opportunities designed to empower the next generation of conservationists, educators, and scientists, no matter where they are in the world!

If you’re still studying, or just graduated, we can help you gain valuable experience to help you on your career path. As an IR, you can design your own project, which we will help you to do in advance, based on your own personal research interests and skills. You can choose between conservation biology, community education and museum studies, or get experience in all three. Visit our website and social media pages to get an in-depth vision of the intern and volunteer life at Para La Tierra!