PROJECT TERMS OF REFERENCE

Project title: Guidelines for the use of tracking tags and collars in marine and terrestrial environs.

Principal investigator: TBD

Project manager: Paul Glover-Kapfer, Conservation Technology Adviser, WWF-UK

Details:

WWF-UK is offering a short term consultancy for someone with a background in experimental design and hands-on, field-based experience using tracking tags and collars to develop easy-to-use guidelines for their use. These guidelines should provide recommendations for selecting and deploying tracking tags or collars that take into account user objectives and should be written in such a manner as to make the guidelines accessible for non-native English speakers with limited experimental design backgrounds.

The start date is semi-negotiable, however we are looking for someone that can begin relatively soon and devote themselves fully to the work.

Although subject to change, the following topics should be addressed in the guidelines.

1. Introduction – why a guide is needed and who it is targeted at.
2. Brief history of the use of tracking tags and collars.
3. How do tracking tags and collars work/tag and collar features and components.
4. Applications of tracking tags and collars
5. Ethical considerations when tagging/collaring wildlife
6. Tracking tag and collar study design, including key assumptions, guidance on minimum sample size, duration of tracking effort, selection of appropriate tag or collar/ etc.
7. Step-by-step on how to use tagging or collaring to meet study objectives
8. Annotated bibliography

Person specifications:

Candidates should possess the following qualifications:

1. Proven communication abilities, written and verbal;
2. Applied (in-situ field experience) and academic experience using tracking tags and collars on a diversity of species, and a professional network from which to draw from.

How to apply:

Interested individuals should submit a writing sample, their CV, contact information for 3 professional references, a daily rate, and an estimated timeline for completion to Paul Glover-Kapfer at [email protected].