WANTED: A manager for SAEON's Node for Arid Lands

_{It is a priority for SAEON to accelerate
the roll-out of its newly established Node for Arid Lands (Picture ©
SANParks)}

_{SAEON’s new Node for Arid Lands will serve
as a platform for information management, observational systems,
ecosystems research and environmental science education (Picture ©
Johan Pauw)}

Do you have an excellent environmental research background, management experience and a thorough understanding of data management?
Are you a resourceful, strategically thinking scientist with a demonstrated business-like approach to the production and management of data?
Do you have good people skills?
Do you support SAEON’s objectives?

Then this exciting and challenging position might be for you …

SANParks and SAEON are looking for a resourceful, strategic thinking scientist to manage the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) Node for Arid Lands (www.saeon.ac.za). SAEON is a rapidly growing initiative started in 2002 by the Department of Science and Technology, the National Research Foundation and national environmental science stakeholders.

SAEON is designed to provide in situ Earth observation and environmental information through long-term data gathering from historical, existing and new observation programmes. This fifth of six geographically distributed nodes is hosted by the South African National Parks and is a platform for information management, observational systems, ecosystems research and environmental science education.

Manager: SAEON NODE for ARID LANDS (at SANParks in Kimberley)

The position requires a demonstrated business-like approach to environmental science management. Applicants with an excellent environmental research background, leadership and management experience as well as a thorough understanding of data management will be duly considered. A PhD will be preferred. Applicants must be disciplined self-starters with good people skills and a vision to contribute to global environmental change.

Responsibilities:

Chair the Node Liaison Committee and lead the development of a science plan
Develop and coordinate a set of observing facilities to deliver long-term environmental data
Maintain a data management facility to deliver information products based on integrated node data
Coordinate and support collaborating partners and research students
Establish local environmental science education outreach programmes
Manage a small staff component, finances, equipment and related facilities
Deliver periodic business plans, reports and node information
Promote SAEON’s objectives.

An employment contract will be negotiable under the normal conditions of employment applicable to SANParks personnel.

Please Note:

1) Applications must be accompanied by a letter motivating why the applicant should be favourably considered for the position.

2) Applications submitted by employment agencies will not be considered.

SANParks and SAEON reserve the right not to fill this position.

Forward a concise CV, including the names and contact particulars of three references, via e-mail to eva@saeon.ac.za or fax (012) 392-9316. Postal applications are to be addressed to the Office Coordinator, SAEON, PO Box 1758, Pretoria 0001.

Closing date: 12:00 on 12 May 2008

Visit www.sanparks.org for more information on the South African National Parks.

If no response has been received within 21 days of the closing date, candidates may assume that their applications did not succeed.