Interested candidates should send an e-mail with the subject line ‘Research Officer’ and attach their CV and a cover letter describing their interest in and qualifications for this position to the Country Director, WCS Bangladesh (e-mail: wcsbangladesh@wcs.org). Please submit your application by 20 September 2025.
Position: Research Officer
Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Organization Background:
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local partners in government agencies, communities, and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat, and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.
Program Overview:
WCS is a not-for-profit conservation and research organization actively engaged in Bangladesh since 2004, registered with the Bangladesh NGO Affairs Bureau (Registration Number 2750), to save wildlife and wild places through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. WCS Bangladesh (WCS-BD) collaborated with the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) to establish three Wildlife Sanctuaries to protect Asia’s last two remaining freshwater dolphins in the Sundarbans and all three of the country’s marine protected areas (MPAs) to provide protection for threatened marine megafauna, including dolphins, porpoises, whales, sharks, rays, and marine turtles, and their priority habitats, and reduce bycatch risks while sustaining fishery livelihoods.
Since 2014, WCS Bangladesh is supporting improved protected area management by enabling the Forest Department to conduct and apply results from SMART enforcement and monitoring patrols across the Sundarbans Reserved Forest. WCS works to combat illegal wildlife trade through targeted educational outreach and technical support to the GoB for strengthening national legislation and policies, technical capacity and processes, interagency collaborations and coordination, and compliance with international commitments, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The WCS-BD Program is part of the global WCS network. To learn more, please visit https://www.wcs.org/; bangladesh.wcs.org.
Job Summary:
The Research Officer works closely with the Manager, other team members, and advisors of the Marine Conservation Program on developing, implementing, and analysing research aspects of the program. He manages the WCS Bangladesh citizen science networks maintained among coastal fishermen and fish landing center data collectors by coordinating the recruitment, training, mentoring, and communications of members to record and report geo-referenced, photo-verified information, managing data transfers and process the data for analysis. The Research Officer reports and presents research findings to inform marine conservation and policy recommendations endorsed by community and government stakeholders, and supports the implementation and impact assessments thereof for effective protection of threatened marine wildlife and sustainable fisheries.
Major Responsibilities:
- Prepare study designs, protocols, and procedures for marine megafauna and fisheries surveys, socio-economic investigations, and policy or management impact assessments and coordinate the implementation of research activities.
- Plan and coordinate research logistics (e.g., recruitment and training of staff and interns, vessel hire, procurement of services, equipment, and supplies, obtaining permissions and permits).
- Prepare trainings modules and lesson plans on research activities and collaborate with the Educational Outreach Program in developing training materials and outreach tools (e.g., identification guides, survey handbooks).
- Conduct data analysis to assess population status, threats, habitat suitability, and distribution of marine wildlife and fishes to inform conservation management, policies, and actions.
- Lead the reporting of research findings for donor reports, conservation management and policy recommendations, journal publications, and popular media articles.
- Plan and implement Marine Protected Area (MPA) management effectiveness tracking tools aligned with global best practices.
- Assist in implementing Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tools (SMART) and reporting to enhance MPA monitoring effectiveness.
- Collaborate with the field coordinator, field officer, community engagement and policy officer, and data management officer, to maintain or expand the engagement of citizen scientists for data on threatened marine wildlife and fishery impacts.
- Aid in research design, data management, and data analysis for citizen scientist fisher and landing site data collector networks.
- Identify new research needs and develop methodologies to support program need for research studies.
- Ensure the safety protocols and compliant behaviour for researchers and hired personnel (e.g., interns, service providers) as per WCS Bangladesh Policy and HR requirements.
- Coordinate procurement, maintenance and safe storage of research equipment.
- Support development of standard operating procedures, species conservation strategies, management plans and policies by translating scientific findings into conservation recommendations.
- Ensure regular communications with local government and non-government partners to disseminate research findings and promote active engagement in marine conservation.
- Assist in developing communication strategies and educational outreach initiatives and materials for building marine stewardship and conservation constituencies by providing relevant research findings and content.
- Prepare detailed workplans for research, training, and outreach work in coordination with other team members and ensure timely completion of assigned tasks.
- Manage all financial aspects of research related work including preparation of budgets, obtaining supporting documents, and tracking expenditures and transactions, and making payments for landing site data collector.
- Assist with the preparation of project proposals that include a research component.
Minimum Requirements:
- Master of Science (MSc) in Fisheries, Biology, Oceanography, Environmental Science, or other related fields required.
- Minimum three-years’ experience in field research and applied conservation science preferred.
- Experience using management effectiveness tracking tools and developing strategic documents (preferred).
- Proficiency in data analysis and reporting using advance software (e.g., R, ArcGIS).
- Experience in managing field teams of 5-10 persons.
- Ability to manage assigned responsibilities reliably, independently, and on schedule while coordinating and collaborating closely with WCS Bangladesh Program staff/advisors.
- Excellent communication and facilitation skills in English and Bengali (written and spoken)
- Strong analytical thinking demonstrated leadership capacity
- Strong commitment to WCS values of integrity, respect, diversity, equity, and inclusion, innovation, collaboration, accountability, and transparency.
Salary: BDT. 40,000-50,000 Per months
Compensation and Benefits: Phone Bill, Insurance, 2 Festival Bonus and Yearly Salary Review.