The Eastern Himalaya Programme at Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) is looking for a Research Assistant for the tropical forest restoration project in North-east India. 

We are looking for a motivated colleague (mid-level preferred) who is passionate about species and habitat conservation, has strong communication and networking skills, is interested, and experienced in working in forest/rural areas, with experience/understanding of tropical forest ecology, forest restoration approaches and methods, forest policy and governance issues in the Indian context. 

The selected candidate will work as a Research Assistant to undertake the research and monitoring linked to the ongoing forest restoration project and work with various community, organizations, and government partners to continue and scale up our existing ecological restoration projects in North-east India, mainly in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.  

The selected candidate will be required to:

• Oversee the management of an existing rainforest nursery through supervision of the field staff.

• Responsible for monitoring/maintenance of existing restoration plots using established protocols and setting up/conducting experimental studies.

• Help identify and demarcate restoration sites for planting, co-ordinate and participate in restoration planting and monitoring,

• Data management, curation, analyses and scientific paper writing, project reporting and administration, writing grant proposals for fund-raising and communications with donors. 

• Training and awareness for field staff, community partners/youth, interns, volunteers

• Manage and co-ordinate forest restoration projects in North-east India with existing team and partners 

Qualifications and Desired Capabilities

Required

• Master’s degree in Ecology/Biological Sciences 

• Prior work experience (at least 3-6 years).

• Strong interpersonal and networking skills and ability to work in teams and interact with groups of people including with government officials.

• Knowledge and interest in tropical forest ecology, restoration approaches, forest policy, and governance issues in the Indian context.

• Proficiency in English (writing, speaking, editing)

• Excellent communication skills, and ability to write, design, curate, and present information and materials related to forest restoration 

• Proficiency in statistical approaches/tools and data analyses 

• Knowledge of Assamese/Hindi 

Desirable qualifications

• A strong understanding of and prior experience in ecological restoration

• Experience and demonstrable interest in working with other organizations, and government officials.

• Experience in conducting training and outreach related to restoration

• Keen interest in plants, animals, and motivation for field work

• Proficiency in data analyses and scientific paper writing 

Location and Pay

We offer you a fulfilling full-time job, great field experience, opportunities for professional growth, and a chance at contributing to exciting research and conservation efforts. 

Salary/Consultancy will depend on your qualifications and experience, but roughly around Rs. 35,000 to 45,000 per month. 

The position will have a three-month probation period and the candidate would need to commit for a period of at least one year, with a possibility of further extension based on mutual agreement, performance review, and contingent on availability of funds.

As the project is inherently long-term, candidates who are interested in opportunities for long-term and sustained engagements and commitments to landscape and conservation are especially encouraged to apply. The candidate will be expected to also work on preparing proposals, reports, and publications periodically.

This position is based primarily in Darlong village, near Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh. Accommodation will be provided at the field station in Darlong village (shared with other students and researchers) and project-related costs and travel costs connected to fieldwork would be covered. The candidate will be expected to be based in the field for at least 6-8 months of the year and will be required to travel locally in Arunachal Pradesh and nearby states in North-east India for meetings/work. The candidate would be expected to visit NCF’s Bangalore office once or twice a year. 

How to apply
Please send an application package to Chaithra Gowda (<chaithra@ncf-india.org>) with (1) a one-page cover letter (filename: 'your name_CL') that explains why you would like to work with us highlighting your interests and suitability for this position (maximum: 500 words); (2) detailed CV (filename: 'your name_CV').  Please include names and email addresses of two referees in your cover letter.

The subject of your email should be: "Application:  Restoration Ecologist – Eastern Himalaya Programme-NCF”. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 

The last date for submitting applications is May 10, 2025, but the position will be open until a suitable candidate is selected. Please wait for at least 4 weeks to hear back from us about your application before contacting us again. The selected candidate will be expected to start work within one month of being informed of their selection for the position.

The position is for Indian citizens only. NCF provides equal opportunities irrespective of gender, caste, creed, religion, economic background etc. For this position, preference will be given to candidates from North-east India who are especially encouraged to apply. Women and those from under-represented groups or disadvantaged backgrounds are encouraged to apply. 

For more information on our projects, see: 

Website: https://www.ncf-india.org/eastern-himalaya

Restoration project: https://www.ncf-india.org/eastern-himalaya/restoration-of-hornbill-habitats