Vacancy Announcement for Short-term Positions

Vacancy Announcement for Short-term Positions

ANSAB is a civil society organization that has been working for biodiversity conservation and livelihoods improvement across South Asia for over three decades. With a vision of rich biodiversity and prosperous communities, ANSAB places community empowerment and economic incentives at the heart of its approach, and has been consistently evolving, consolidating, institutionalizing and advancing the approaches and strategies for the promotion of community-based enterprises and value chains, natural resources management and biodiversity conservation, enabling policy environment and multi-stakeholders.

TRAFFIC International and ANSAB, along with other national and international partners are implementing a UK Government through Darwin Initiative funded project entitled "Scaling conservation of Himalayan plants and fungi through sustainable trade". This project aims to improve local livelihoods, elevate traditional knowledge, and strengthen national and regional approaches to sustainable biodiversity-based trade. At the impact level, the project will contribute to the sustainable management of Himalayan wild plants and fungi, with value chains that promote equitable trade, increase value addition, reduce poverty, and conserve species and ecologically fragile landscapes.

One of the activities of this project is to conduct a national level resource inventory of medical plants and fungi with high conservation and economic value in the mountainous regions of Nepal. The inventory will focus on species such as attis, guchi chyau, jatamansi, kakoli, kutki, padamchal, panchaaule, setakchini, satuwa, sugandhawal and yarsagumba. This national inventory will cover 27 Himalayan districts of Nepal, organized into five clusters to streamline data collection.

Cluster 1- Darchula, Bajhang and Bajura

Cluster 2: Humla, Mugu, Jumla, Kakikot, Jajarkot, Dolpa, Rukum West

Cluster 3: Rukum East, Rolpa, Myagdi, Mustang, Manang, Kaski, Lamjung and Gorkha

Cluster 4: Dhading, Rasuwa, Sindhupalchok, Dolakha and Ramechhap

Cluster 5: Solukhumbu, Sankhuwasabha, Taplejung and Panchthar

In this context, ANSAB is seeking to recruit individuals to facilitate and conduct resource inventory for the following short-term positions.

1. Position: Cluster Coordinator

Required Numbers: 5

Duration: 50 to 80 days, intermittent between Mid-July to Mid- December 2025

About the position

The Cluster Coordinator position involves providing technical support to survey teams, monitoring resource inventory activities, and ensuring effective implementation of the inventory within the assigned cluster. Major responsibilities of this position include:

Responsibilities

• Team leadership and technical support to the inventory teams
  • Lead survey teams within the assigned cluster,
  • Provide technical guidance on inventory methods,
  • Provide hands-on support to address issues if encountered,
  • QA & QC
• Periodic field visits in the clusters
  • Conduct field visits to ensure the quality of inventory activities, and periodic monitoring,
• Coordination and Communication
  • Coordinate for the logistical arrangements for the team, including travel and accommodation,
  • Liaise with the concerned authorities like Provincial Forestry Ministries, Division Forest offices, and Park and Conservation Area Offices for permissions and other legal and regulatory requirements,
  • Maintain regular communication with Field Program Coordinator and provide field and activity updates,
  • Support crew leaders in data cleaning and data management,
• Reporting to ANSAB
  • Prepare and submit fortnightly reports,
  • Prepare a final cluster level report, and submit to ANSAB.

Qualifications and experience

• A minimum of a Master’s degree in Forestry, Botany or Environmental Science.
• Proven experience of leading plant resources inventory in Himalayan context; conducting at least ten resource inventory studies, with a minimum of three in a leadership role.
• Willingness to work in remote and challenging mountainous environments.
• Prior experience in team leadership and coordination.
• Strong knowledge of Himalayan medicinal plants is essential.

2. Position: Inventory crew leader

Numbers: 15

Duration: 20 – 40 days, intermittent between August – September 2025

About the position

The primary role of inventory crew leader is to carry out resource inventory of Himalayan plants and fungi with high conservation and economic value in the designated areas. Major responsibilities of this position include:

Responsibilities

• Leadership and data collection in the designated areas
  • Take the lead role to conduct resource inventory in the designated areas, including the capacity building and mobilization of survey team,
  • Take lead role in data collection and data handling, and ensure the safety of equipment and data collected,
  • Data management and data cleaning,
  • QA & QC
• Coordination and communication
  • Liaise with relevant regulatory authorities in the survey areas to obtain their consent and support,
  • Maintain regular communication, and reporting with cluster coordinators,
  • Manage logistical arrangements.
• Reporting to ANSAB
  • Prepare a comprehensive resource inventory field report and submit to cluster coordinator and field program coordinator.

Qualifications and experience

• A Bachelor's degree in Forestry, Botany, Environmental Science, or a related field is required; a Master's degree in these fields is preferred.
• Proven experience of conducting plant resources inventory in Himalayan context; involvement in at least five resource inventory studies.
• Willingness to work in remote mountainous areas under challenging conditions.
• Prior experience in team leadership and coordination.
• Knowledge of Himalayan medicinal plants is essential.

3. Position: Research Assistant

Numbers: 15

Duration: 20 – 40 days, intermittent between August – September 2025

About the position

This position involves providing support to inventory crew leader in conducting the resource inventory the designated areas

Responsibilities

• Data collection in the designated areas
  • Support inventory crew leader in conducting the resource inventory in the designated areas,
  • Play supportive role in data collection and handling,
  • Ensure the safety of equipment, samples, and the datasheet,
• Reporting
  • Support crew leader during data entry, and during the report preparation.

Qualifications and experience

• Bachelors' degree in Forestry, Botany, Environmental Science or related field
• Prior experience in conducting resource inventories will be an added advantage
• Knowledge of identifying Himalayan medicinal plants will be an added advantage
• Willingness to work in the mountains where the conditions generally are harsh
• Ability to work the team
• Preference will be given to students currently pursuing a master’s degree in Forestry, Botany, or Environmental Science for the research assistant positions

Qualified candidates meeting the above requirements may apply by sending their latest curriculum vitae along with two references and a cover letter to the email address jobs@ansab.org.np, clearly mentioning the position you are applying for in the subject line by July 20, 2025.

ANSAB is an equal opportunity employer and doesn’t discriminate any applicant with regards to caste, race, colour, or religion. Priority will be given to the candidate from disadvantaged groups without compromising the merits and ability to perform the tasks efficiently and effectively. Potential female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position.

Only short-listed candidates will be invited for the interview. No telephone enquiries will be entertained.

ANSAB reserves the right to modify or cancel the recruitment process at any time.