Research Assistant: Coastal Carbon

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist with the establishment of an in-situ network of coastal carbon sites along the west, south and east coast of South Africa.
• Assist with developing protocols and standards for the collection of coastal carbon samples and data.
• Assist with the collection of carbon samples from estuaries, salt marshes, mangroves, phytoplankton and the coastal ocean.
• Assist with the analyses of carbon samples in the Blue Carbon Laboratory on the Ocean Sciences Campus.
• Providing assistance with record keeping, data capturing and data processing.
• Assist with the development and maintenance of the SAEON Blue Carbon database and website.

Key Requirements:
Qualification:

• Completed MSc degree in Marine Science, Chemistry or equivalent.

Experience:

• Practical exposure during the undergraduate phase
• Participating in sampling activities during undergraduate phase
• Laboratory exposure
• Experience in preparation and laboratory analyses of sediment, water and/or vegetation samples.
• Experience in data analysis, reporting and the publication of scientific and popular articles.
• Sea-going experience on small boats.

Knowledge:

• Basic understanding of marine sampling techniques, field and laboratory sample handling methodologies and shallow marine research.
• Basic understanding of carbonate chemistry
• Scientific method
• Working knowledge of carbonate chemistry would be advantageous.