Ya’axché Conservation Trust is a community-oriented NGO that couples conservation with sustainable development to advance integrated landscape management in southern Belize. 
The focal geographic area for Ya’axché’s activities is the 770,00-acre Maya Golden Landscape(MGL) which forms part of the largest remaining contiguous areas of broadleaf forest in Central America. Within the MGL, Ya’axché directly manages 3 important protected areas and supports surrounding communities through sustainable livelihood initiatives and implementation of better land use practices.
Ya’axché Conservation Trust is seeking a GIS Specialist to join its team. The GIS Specialist is expected to work under the Protected Areas Management team to oversee the geospatial and sustainable land use activities according to Ya’axché’s Strategic Plan.
Specific tasks will include:
- Lead geospatial and sustainable land use activities through data collection, creation, and analysis
- Analyze Remote Sensing data and LANDSAT imagery to locate Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes in community land and protected areas of the Maya Golden Landscape in southern Belize
- Develop a Land Use Land Cover change report of the Maya Golden Landscape
- Present Land Use Report to Government Officials, NGO’s and Private Sector when necessary
- Provide feedback and field work assistance to projects with a direct component of sustainable land use and landscape management in the Maya Golden Landscape in order to maximize the effectiveness of Ya’axché’s efforts
- Contribute in the collaboration with University of Belize, Forest Department and other organizations in increasing capacity in LULC change, forest cover monitoring and community land use planning
- Conduct data analysis and assisting in the production of reports from geospatial activities within the Protected Areas Management Program (PAM) and Community Outreach and Livelihoods (COL) team.
Duration of placement:
Minimum 12 month commitment
Stipend availability:
BZD 1,000 (USD 500) per month living stipend
Required qualifications:
- Minimum Bachelor´s Degree in relevant subject area (Geography, GIS, Remote Sensing, Biology, Natural Resource Management, or related field)
- Experience in remote sensing, particularly analyzing LANDSAT imagery
- Experience using GPS to create spatial datasets
- Physical ability to do fieldwork in a tropical climate
- Proven record in technical writing and data analysis
- Experience using ArcGIS and remote sensing software, such as Google Earth Engine or ENVI
- Good written and spoken English
Desired qualifications:
- Masters or postgraduate degree in GIS and/or remote sensing
- Excellent knowledge of office programs like Excel and Access
- Spanish an advantage
- Experience working for conservation NGOs in developing countries
- Knowledge of conservation and community development issues in developing countries
- Knowledge of Google Earth Engine, JavaScript, or other coding language
To apply
To apply, please download the Application Pack located at: https://s3-us-east-2.
Your application package should include a copy of your resume or CV (no more than two pages) and a one-page letter outlining your interest in, and suitability for, the position. All documents should be in .pdf format and should be emailed to christina.garcia(at)yaaxche
Deadline to submit application is May 1st 2018.
For more information, please read our volunteer manual located: https://s3-us-east-2.