Conservation Research & Training Manager (Field-based)

Locations: Peru, South Africa, Costa Rica, Madagascar, Seychelles, Indonesia, Fiji

Start Date: April 2026

Type of role: Long-term, field-based

🦁 WHO YOU ARE

This is a deeply collaborative and pragmatic position for a leader who thrives where the "boots hit the ground." This is not an ivory-tower academic role; it requires someone who understands that real-world conservation is often messy and requires excellent judgment, flexibility, and a passion for teaching others. You are a scientist who is just as comfortable navigating dense jungles or coral reefs as you are mentoring a diverse team or managing a data set. You will be the heartbeat of conservation impact on-site, ensuring our programs remain credible, consistent, and deeply impactful.

🏕️ LIFE IN THE FIELD

This is a residential, field-based position located in some of the world's most remote and beautiful landscapes. You won't just be working at the hub; you will be living on-site in a communal setting alongside a dedicated team of international staff and participants.

The Setting: Expect rural, off-grid, or semi-remote living where resources like Wi-Fi and electricity may be limited.

The Community: Success in this role depends on your ability to cultivate a positive, inclusive culture within a shared living environment. You should be someone who enjoys communal meals, team camaraderie, and the unique social dynamics that come with living where you work.

Global Placement Opportunities: As a field-based leader, you will be stationed at one of our specialised research hubs. Potential locations for this role include:

Wildlife Hubs: The Peruvian Amazon, South African Bush, Costa Rican Rainforest, or Madagascan Forest.

Marine Hubs: Seychelles (Indian Ocean), Indonesia (Raja Ampat), or Fiji (South Pacific).

✨ WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

The Conservation Research & Training Manager is a high-impact leadership position designed to be the primary facilitator and supervisor of GVI’s conservation work and experiential teaching. You are the bridge between academic theory and high-impact field application. By living and working on-site, you ensure that our research isn't just data on a page, but a catalyst for local ecosystem recovery.

🐘 WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

1. On-the-Ground Technical & Educational Leadership

Lead the site-specific conservation strategy, ensuring all programs are ethically sound and reflect current best practices.

Guide field teams and participants on how to balance rigorous scientific data collection with an engaging, hands-on learning environment for international participants.

2. Program Implementation & Quality Control

Provide direct oversight of our Conservation Research Modules (CRM), ensuring they are practical and field-ready. Example areas include: Area-Based Conservation, Restoration, Invasive Species Management, and Human–Wildlife Conflict.

Work closely with the Impact Director to ensure site-specific research goals align with global educational outcomes.

Maintenance and processing of hub meta-data files and long-term data sets to ensure they can be shared across various citizen science platforms and with relevant academics. 

Liaise with partners and academics for data sharing, exchange and potential publication in consultation with the Impact Director. 

3. Field Mentorship & Staff Development

Support the professional growth of field-based staff, helping them bridge the gap between their academic backgrounds and practical field application.

Identify training needs within your hub and define the technical skills required for our local teams to excel.

4. Operational Alignment

Act as the primary technical sounding board for daily field challenges, from refining data collection methods to adapting project designs to local logistical shifts.

Work with the Hub Manager to ensure conservation goals are achievable within the realities of remote field operations.

🦒 WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TEAM

Academic Background: An advanced degree (MSc or PhD) in Conservation Biology, Ecology, Marine Biology, or a related field.

Field Experience: Proven experience living and working in remote, international field locations. You must be comfortable with the "unpredictable" nature of remote life.

Practical Knowledge: Strong proficiency in biodiversity monitoring, community-based conservation, and field technology (e.g., GIS, camera traps, and statistical software such as Python, Matlab or R).

Teaching & Communication: A natural ability to translate complex scientific concepts into actionable training for staff and participants.

Managerial Grit: Experience leading diverse teams and a high level of emotional intelligence for communal living environments.

🐾 WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU

Monthly salary

A unique and immersive conservation experience

All meals provided 

Accomidation 

Visa support (where applicable)

Growth opportunities 

A collaborative, purpose-driven culture

Emergency medical and travel insurance

☀️ WORKING AT GVI

At GVI, we're driven by the desire to make a positive impact on our planet and its people. Our dedicated teams are actively working to address global challenges, and together, we leverage a diverse set of specialised skills to pursue a shared vision: cultivating a brighter and more sustainable future for all.

Working at GVI is fast-paced and fun. You will join a community that values passion, authenticity and innovation, and where we treat each other with respect. But we can do better than words to show you who we are! To see what it's really like to work for GVI: 

🎥 Watch Here

📰 Read Here

👥 Meet the Team

🔍 OUR HIRING PROCESS

Interview with People Team

Interview with your future manager

Practical scenario or field-based operational challenge

Final interview with Senior Leadership

Background checks

✅ YOUR NEXT STEP

If you're ready to be at the heart of every journey, bringing meticulous care to world-changing impact as a leader in operations, we want to hear from you.

Please send us your CV and a short Cover Letter sharing why this role is the right fit for you.

Kindly note: We genuinely appreciate every application we receive. If you haven’t heard from us within 3–4 weeks, it likely means we’ve moved forward with other candidates this time. That said, we’d love for you to stay connected and consider applying again in the future!