Sint Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) JOB DESCRIPTION

TitleSea Turtle Coordinator (Internship position)
Reporting toMarine Park Manager
Working hours40 hours/week (June 2024 – Dec 2024)
Position overview

We are seeking a highly motivated Sea Turtle Coordinator to assist with the 2024 sea turtle conservation program on St. Eustatius. The peak sea turtle nesting season runs from June until December. This is a unique opportunity to gain more international work experience in the field, living and working on a small island in the Caribbean. Upon arrival, full training will be provided.

Flights and shared accommodation for the duration of the internship will be covered for the right applicants. Preference is given to persons holding a Dutch or US passport, due to immigration regulations. Previous relevant turtle experience would be beneficial. Driver’s license is required.

Background information:

STENAPA has been monitoring sea turtles nesting activities on St. Eustatius (Statia) since 2002. Hawksbill and Green sea turtles are the most frequent species that nest on the beaches of Statia, however sporadic nesting of Leatherback turtles has been recorded in previous years. The most active nesting beach on Statia is located on the Atlantic coast, on the beach of Zeelandia, and is where the majority of nesting patrols are carried out.

The main threats facing nesting sea turtles on Statia include: nest indundation, erosion, climate change and plastic pollution. It is therefore essential to collect important data including: number of nests per species, nest success, photo identification, turtle size measurements and environmental parameters. This data provide us with critical information about population trends and status, reproductive success and patterns of habitat use. The data is used to inform management decisions for improved turtle conservation on Statia.

The Turtle Coordinator will be predominantly responsible for organising, conducting and supervising day / night patrols throughout the sea turtle nesting season. Other tasks that the Sea Turtle Coordinator will be responsible for include: data collection and entry, volunteer training, environmental education and awareness, nest relocations (when required) and other general activities.

Sea turtles do not nest every night, and therefore it should not be expected to see turtles during every patrol.

Principle duties

As a Turtle Program Intern Coordinator, you will be assisting the National Parks staff in managing the turtle nest monitoring program and carrying out the following duties:

Fieldwork:
  • Assist with morning and / or night patrols of nesting beaches, including leading night patrols
  • Monitor sea turtle nests
  • Coordinate and supervise the activities of volunteers and interns
  • Carry out and supervise sea turtle nest excavations
  • Data collection
  • Assist with regular beach clean-ups
Administration:
  • Develop and improve existing protocols on the subject of sea turtle monitoring and conservation
  • Data organization, entry and analysis
  • Assist with the setup and running of the Turtle ID project
  • Train new volunteers and interns on sea turtle monitoring protocols and fieldwork techniques
  • Prepare and deliver presentations to disseminate important sea turtle related information to local stakeholders, staff and volunteers
  • Assist in the gathering of content for digital publications
  • Support the development of education and outreach materials to raise awareness for the project
General
  • Assist Park Managers and Rangers with other activities, as required.
Personal Specification

Coordinators are expected to stay at the project site for the entire period for which they are selected. Preference will be given to potential applicants that meet the following requirements:

  • BSc or Masters in biological sciences or related fields
  • Fluency in English
  • Previous experience working with sea turtles or conducting field research
  • Independent, reliable and motivated
  • Has a positive attitude and the ability to accept and give feedback
  • Willingness to work long, and often unsociable hours (nights and weekends)
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Strong IT skills
  • Ability to work outdoors conducting physical labour, in all weather, for long periods whilst maintaining energy and stamina.
  • Able to adapt to unexpected situations and unfamiliar cultures
  • Full, clean drivers license (required)

Email your applications to: eleanor.butler@statiapark.org

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