Title: Amazonian Bamboo Bioenergy Project Assistant and Promoter Location: Villa Carmen Biological Station Type: Intern (unpaid; room and board provided) Dates: June 2014 – June 2015 Length: 3 months – 1 year (6 months ideal)
Organization Founded in 1999, the Amazon Conservation Association’s mission is to protect the biological diversity of the Amazon basin. Our efforts are geographically focused in the headwaters of the Amazon basin, where the Amazon forest meets the Andes mountain range in southeastern Peru and northern Bolivia. The Amazon Conservation Association’s currently protects over 1.5 million acres of Amazonian rainforest; we established the world’s first conservation concession, manage some of the best research stations in the tropics, and are leading the charge to find mechanisms such as the voluntary carbon market and payments for environmental services to make forest conservation financially sustainable. The Amazon Conservation Association owns three biological stations, one called Los Amigos, located in the Madre de Dios district, province of Manu, department of Madre de Dios; another called Wayqecha, located in the Kosñipata district, province of Paucartambo, department of Cusco; and another called Villa Carmen, located in the Kosñipata district, province of Paucartambo, department of Cusco. Position The volunteer will be involved in a multi-stakeholder research project investigating the potential of native Amazonian bamboos as a source of energy and sustainable fertilizers through the production of biochar, a form of charcoal. Main responsibilities will include assisting in the procurement of the bamboo feedstock and operation of the pyrolysis unit, collecting data on the agricultural experiments, and promoting the advances and accomplishments of the bamboo project in particular, and the sustainable agriculture program in general. The volunteer will also be responsible for contacting and communicating with Peruvian researchers, entrepreneurs, and government officials in relation to a bamboo conference that will be organized for 2015. The successful candidate will have strong Spanish language skills and will preferably have some experience in international development and/or agriculture and forestry. Qualifications To be eligible for this position, candidates should possess the following qualifications: -Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (by phone, email, and in person) -Highly organized, with strong attention to detail, and able to prioritize work and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment -Strong Spanish skills necessary (reading, writing, speaking). -Experience in international development, sustainable agriculture, and/or biology/ecology preferred. -Experience or interest in website design is a plus. -Must be at least 20 years of age -Must have at least 2 years of college experience ================================================================== Please email your résumé, a cover letter, and a list of three references to: Andrew Wilcox at [email protected] (subject line: Amazonian Bamboo Bioenergy Project Assistant and Promoter at Villa Carmen). Applications accepted until position is filled.
