About the position
Postion Summary:
The EFTEON is intended to provide a platform of well described and instrumented landscapes to the South African and International research community, in order to facilitate research into global change, ecosystem processes, social-ecological interactions and to provide data for remote sensing and model validation and calibration. This position will be based at George.
Key Responsibilities:
- 1
- Leadership in Social-Ecological Systems Research – Across all 6 EFTEON Landscapes a
- Lead the development of the EFTEON Social-Ecological Systems Research Program for long-term observations of interactions between social and ecological systems across all six EFTEON landscapes
- In conjunction with the SES Thematic Technical Committee b
- Development of and guiding a complex adaptive systems approach to SES research in the EFTEON landscapes c
- Using best local and international practice to situate SES research in the local communities to ensure a respectful, sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship and embed EFTEON research infrastructures within their respective communities
- d Guiding and managing EFTEON ETHICS considerations relating to local communities and individual human subjects
- e
- In conjunction with appropriate internal and external platform users and other stakeholders, lead the development and testing of a “Theory of Change” within EFTEON landscapes and across the EFTEON Network
- f
- Development and documentation of the procedures and requirements for i
- Repeated social-ecological surveys
- ii
- Quantitative and qualitative assessment of ecosystem service provision and use across the EFTEON Landscapes
- iii
- Appropriate and best practice management of social-ecological systems data in co-ordination with the SAEON uLwazi node , local and international specialists, and appointed thematic technical committees
- g
- Engagement with the local and international scientific community relating to SES research on the EFTEON RI
- h
- Preparation of research proposals and papers and other forms of scientific output
- 2
- Management Responsibilities for the in which the Landscape Scientist is based a
- Managing EFTEON Landscape office including instrumentation in the landscape
- b
- Recruit and manage a demographically diverse team of (2-4) technicians responsible for instrumentation, biodiversity sampling and social ecological sampling and surveys operating in the landscape in which you are based
- c
- Platform provisioning, coordinating students and visiting scientists to the landscape
- Promote demographic representivity of platform users
- d
- Undertaking engagement on behalf of EFTEON with the local stakeholders- including the development of a representative landscape forum
- e
- With Instrumentation Scientist guidance and support - Regular technical inspections and technical audits of site instrumentation and compliance with procedures
- f
- Liaison with the national and international scientific community and established communities of practice (including amongst others the Thematic Technical Committees and Landscape Fora) on site performance, data and site operations
- g
- Training, finance, procurement, planning, reporting, risk management, asset managementThe data will be collected and processed by technicians and scientists deployed to the EFTEON Landscapes, the key role of the Landscape Scientist -SES is to drive the development of the procedures to be used, the development of the site technicians and scientists and ensuring inter-comparability between sites and over time
- The answering of research questions, the supervision of students and the development of research proposals focused on the EFTEON landscapes fall within the remit of this post
Minimum Qualification:
Minimum Experience:
- Completed PhD degree in an appropriate field related to Environmental Science, Ecology, Economics, Anthropology, Politics, Complexity Science, or related fields with a particular interest in intertwined, complex adaptive social- ecological systems
- A PhD or post PhD experience in at least one of the following Demonstrated research interest in Social-Ecological systems research Experience in the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of ecosystem services, nature’s contribution to people and/or ecological infrastructureExperience in inter- and transdisciplinary research for sustainable conservation or natural resource management Experience in researching or managing complex adaptive systems in the context of social ecological research
Experience:
- Experience in facilitating inter- and transdisciplinary focus groups, workshops and meetings Demonstrable experience in natural resource management or environmental governance xperience with adaptive management or adaptive collaborative management?Experience in taking an adaptive learning monitoring, learning and evaluation approachExperience in biodiversity monitoring or hydrological or atmospheric observations Experience in the development of quality management systems for observational network operations and maintenance Staff supervision and performance management experience xperience and demonstrable success in the technical training, mentoring and capacitation of junior staff
Knowledge:
- Evidence of science policy engagement relating to natural resource management or sustainable development Strong data analytical skills (R or Python) *kills and experience in the analysis of spatial data (GIS and RS)
Additional Notes:
Evidence of using traditional or local knowledge in research Driver’s license required Code 8 / EBOff-road driving skills and willingness to travel to remote locationsThe NRF website provides more details on the initiatives and activities Applicants should submit a comprehensive CV by registering and apply online through the NRF Recruitment and Selection Portal. Applications should be accompanied by a letter of motivation indicating the applicant·s suitability for the position. The names and contact details of at least three referees should be provided.
Desired Skills:
- Skilled in applied field of position
- Knowledge to be relevant
- Responsible in performing duties
About The Employer:
The National Research Foundation (NRF) supports and promotes research and human capital development through funding, the provision of National Research Facilities and science outreach platforms and programmes to the broader community in all fields of science and technology, including natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities. The South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) is a research platform funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and managed by the National Research Foundation (NRF) since 2002. SAEON is mandated to observe and research ecosystems on land, in coastal regions and the oceans to understand how those systems function and might change over time and space when influenced by socio-economic driving forces including climate change. We deliver our data online and offer tools, services and advice for informed environmental policy-making.
