Fieldwork volunteer positions
- K Peters
- Jun 30
- 2 min read
The MAVE Lab has two volunteer positions available for approximately four weeks in late August/September this year. The work will be based in Eden, a beautiful but remote town on the south coast of New South Wales.
The primary task involves joining daily whale-watching tours (around 3 hours each morning) to collect cetacean occurrence data and conduct photo-identification. There may also be opportunities for additional desk-based photo-ID work in the afternoons, depending on your interest.
Given that tours are not very long, there will be considerable downtime between trips, so it’s important that volunteers are comfortable with a slower pace and being in a relatively isolated setting. Volunteers will mostly be working independently rather than as part of a larger team. The local community is very welcoming, and the operators running the whale-watching tours are fantastic.
This is an unpaid volunteer position, as funding is limited. However, shared accommodation in Eden will be provided for the duration of the fieldwork. Due to the remote location, having your own car would be an advantage.
Species that we usually encounter humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins, and common dolphins, and occasionally southern right whales, minke whales, and orcas. Other wildlife in the area includes fur seals, albatrosses, and little penguins.
Desired Skills, Knowledge, and Experience:
Strong interest in animal behaviour, natural history, and marine science/ecology
Experience working on boats, including in variable weather conditions
High attention to detail, particularly in data recording and organisation
Ability to multitask and adapt in a dynamic field environment
Capacity to work independently with minimal supervision
Proficiency with Photo-ID techniques and image cataloguing
Experience using CyberTracker for field data collection
If you’re interested, please submit your EOI via this form by the 10th July.
For any questions regarding these positions, please email katharinap@uow.edu.au.
