Communities & Conservation Research Associate - Edmonton, Canada - Wildlife Conservation Society

Wildlife Conservation Society

Verified Company

Edmonton, Canada

2 weeks ago

Posted by:

Sophia Lee

beBee Recruiter

Description

Position Title:
Communities and Conservation Research Associate

Position Type:
Full-time

Program:
National: Communities and Conservation

Salary range:
$65,000 to $70,000

Position Location:
In Office, Hybrid or Remote

Position Level:
SCI 3

Date written/revised:
April 11, 2023

Position start date: 11 June, 2023

Reports to:
Cheryl Chetkiewicz. Director, Indigenous Communities and Conservation

Supervises:
Interns, volunteers and contractors as required

Application closing date: 12 May, 2023

Position Summary

WCS Canada recognizes the importance of respectful and equitable conservation partnerships with Indigenous Peoples as an explicit goal our Strategic Plan.

WCS Canada's Indigenous Communities and Conservation Program advances the capacity of WCS Canada and partners to support Indigenous-led conservation in meaningful ways that support the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples and communities.

An overview of WCS Canada work with Indigenous Peoples and communities can be found here.

The Communities and Conservation Research Associate will support effective and meaningful conservation outcomes through the development of research, tools, and strategies that foster respectful relationships and partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and advance Indigenous-led conservation in WCS Canada programs across Canada.

Position Objectives:

Support WCS Canada field programs and national initiatives in designing, implementing, and evaluating programmatic priorities to support Indigenous-led conservation, including:

Establish ethical guidance, training, and resources for all WCS Canada staff working with Indigenous communities and working on Indigenous lands.
Support WCS Canada staff to cocreate conservation initiatives with Indigenous Knowledge experts and Indigenous communities to ensure that WCS Canada is recognized as a respectful partner and ally in Indigenousled conservation.
Develop communitybased participatory approaches and tools that reflect Indigenous ways of knowing, doing, and being towards creating innovative, hopeful, and positive conservation outcomes.
Develop conservation approaches across WCS Canada's programs based on sharing and cocreation of knowledge drawing on Indigenous and scientific knowledge systems that advance the conservation of wildlife and wild places.

Principal Responsibilities:

Conduct research and critical review of local, regional, national
, and international good practices in communitybased participatory research, monitoring, land governance, knowledge sharing, and knowledge coproduction.
Update internal resource guides with templates, examples, and case studies of data sharing, research agreements, ethical knowledge sharing protocols, and other fundamental tools for achieving conservation outcomes that reflect reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
Liaise and participate with relevant WCS Global programs and Communities of Practice. Together with Indigenous partners, advisors, and colleagues, codesign, plan and implement a needs assessment survey to gauge where WCS Canada staff and program leads are currently facing issues, challenges, and opportunities with respect to Indigenous communities and conservation. Assess training needs and opportunities that may need to be developed.
Design and deliver workshops to explore knowledge sharing and coproduction across Western science and Indigenous Knowledge systems.
Work with our Communications team to prepare reports, video stories, and plain language summaries on WCS Canada programs and projects. Develop various knowledge sharing approaches and products for internal and external communications about WCS Canada programs and projects.
Consider the structure, function, and need for an Indigenous Advisory Group or Committee that supports both programmatic and institutional and needs to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples through our conservation work.
Identify, track, and advise on regional, national, and global strategic matters related to Indigenous engagement and conservation.
Develop external, peerreviewed publications on best practices for conservation organizations working with Indigenous Peoples as well as meaningful communication products such as briefings and infographics and a submission to the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership IPCA Knowledge Basket.
Contribute to WCS Canadas's external and internal communications in collaboration with the WCS Canada Communications team, including sharing program specific media content, developing communication plans for upcoming publications, etc.
Serve as a spokesperson for WCS Canada's messaging and work, actively seeking and delivering on opportunities to represent WCS to external audiences in media, conferences, events, etc.
Promote the conservation of the wildlife and wild lands in Canada within the conservation community, donors, governmental agencies and o