Position: Research Officer (Marine)
Reports to: Manager, Marine Conservation Program
Location:Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Position Type: Full-time
Expected travel:Frequent domestic travel required, including to remote locations, for research activities, local stakeholder interactions, trainings, and consultations.
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 communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.
Program Overview:
WCS has been actively engaged in Bangladesh since 2004 to save wildlife and wild places through science conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. WCS Bangladesh is registered with the Bangladesh NGO Affairs Bureau. We supported the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) through research, outreach, and policy recommendations in establishing Wildlife Sanctuaries to protect Asia’s last two remaining freshwater dolphins in the Sundarbans, and marine protected areas (MPA) to balance the protection of threatened marine megafauna, including cetaceans, sharks, rays, and marine turtles, with fishery needs.
Since 2014, WCS Bangladesh partners with the Bangladesh Forest Department, and the Department of Fisheries, for strengthening compliance with international wildlife trade and protection obligations, including to CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and CMS (Convention on Migratory Species). Technical support and training provided by WCS enables the law enforcement agencies to effectively manage protected areas through Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) wildlife enforcement and monitoring patrols. WCS also strengthens interagency collaborations, capacity, policies, and mandates of the Bangladesh Forest Department, Department of Fisheries, Customs, Police, Navy, Coast Guard and Border Guards Bangladesh to combat illegal wildlife trade. The WCS Bangladesh Program is part of the global WCS network. To learn more please visit www.wcs.org or bangladesh.wcs.org.
Job Summary:
The Research Officer provides field, administrative, and logistical support to WCS Bangladesh's marine research. The officer supports the Research Coordinator in day-to-day research, monitoring and data analysis tasks. The officer also provides basic administrative and logistical support to the Marine Conservation Program for training, community engagement, outreach, and consultation events.
Major Responsibilities:
Research support:
- Assist in implementing marine megafauna surveys, fisheries and socio-economic data collection, and knowledge-attitude-behaviour (KAB) assessments, following established protocols;
- Support field data collection, entry, verification, and basic processing for shark, ray, and marine wildlife monitoring;
- Assist in preparing field research logistics and scheduling for research activities;
- Help maintain and organize the Marine Conservation Program's reference collection and research equipment inventory, reporting maintenance needs;
Community and stakeholder engagement:
- Support maintenance of regular field-level contact with local fisheries associations, citizen scientists, community focal points, and local government officers (fisheries officials, forest officers, landing site officials) to keep them informed of program activities;
- Support the Field and Educational Outreach Program in organizing community consultations, training sessions, and outreach events;
- Provide translation and interpretation support during community meetings, training, and consultations as needed.
- Support outreach tools and media materials preparation.
Others
- Help prepare and update workplans and activity trackers for research and outreach tasks, and report progress to the Research Coordinator;
- Compile field data summaries and contribute inputs to donor reports, conservation recommendations, and internal updates under the Research Coordinator's direction;
- Support drafting of Bangla/English materials for internal reporting, community-facing communications, and outreach documentation.
- Provide general support to other teams as required and assigned by the line manager or country office.
Minimum Requirements:
- Bachelor degree in fisheries, marine, environmental, or social sciences, zoology or conservation biology (Master’s preferred).
- Basic computer literacy, including experience with spreadsheet software (e.g., Excel) and mobile data collection tools (e.g., KoBo Toolbox, SMART).
- Working knowledge of data entry, verification, and basic data processing for field-based research.
- Minimum of one-year experience in marine research and fieldwork with proven capacity for engaging in respectful partnerships or collaborations with representatives from local communities, Government and non-Government organizations or institutions.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate with a variety of partners and stakeholders, and to mediate and resolve complex issues that involve multiple actors and/or interest areas.
- Strong team collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across research, field, and program teams and communicate conservation issues constructively;
- Willingness and physical ability to travel to and stay in remote field sites, including by boat, and to work in variable field conditions.
- Professional proficiency in English and Bangla (written and spoken).
Salary: Per months BDT. 42,000/-
Compensation and Benefits: Phone Bill, Insurance, 2 Festival Bonus and Yearly Salary Review.
Apply Instructions:
Please apply through the following link by answering the question and uploading the required documents in PDF/document format. Documents required: updated resume and cover letter.
Link to apply online : https://forms.gle/ULTwmPQwUci2YgDw9
Application deadline: 20 August 2026
Please note that:
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next steps.
- No applications will be accepted after the deadline.
- Only Bangladesh citizens will be considered for this position.
- No monetary, goods or service offers, nor favoritism, will be tolerated in a recruitment process. WCS reserves the right to refuse any candidate having benefited from such acts. Any illicit solicitations can be reported to the justice system. WCS reserves the right to refuse any candidate having benefited from such acts and will stop collaboration with any workers involved in such acts.
Declaration:
WCS is an equal opportunity employer and the organization complies with all employment and labour laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on age, colour, disability, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by laws and regulations.