Scientist wanted to support AIDA and FAIME

Date of publication: June 2024.
Application deadline: Open until filled

INTRODUCTION

This call is a joint effort of the Inter-American Association for the Defense of the Environment (AIDA) and the Find An Independent Mining Expert (FAIME) project to give the opportunity to a professional with scientific knowledge and skills for project coordination contribution to the protection of the environment and communities affected by extractive activities. The vacancy is designed for the selected person to support the AIDA scientific team and the FAIME team. Below, we give a brief review of AIDA and FAIME.
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AIDA
AIDA is a pioneering organization of experts from Latin America who provide free legal and scientific support to protect the environment and the communities of the continent. We work under the context of the climate crisis to achieve environmental and climate justice, as well as to improve environmental governance in the hemisphere. AIDA's mission is to strengthen people's capacity to guarantee the individual and collective right to a healthy environment. To achieve this, we select emblematic cases and projects in which the strategic use of international law and scientific argumentation can set key precedents. We test new approaches, pushing the application of laws and treaties beyond their common scope. We identify and disseminate information about best practices, scientific and technical standards to achieve environmental protection. AIDA has 25 years of experience in achieving victories for the protection of the environment and human rights in Latin America. The vast majority of our team lives and works in a Latin American country, from Chile to Mexico.

Find An Independent Mining Expert (FAIME)
"Find an Independent Mining Expert", is a project that has built a online database of credible, competent and trustworthy experts from around the world – with extensive knowledge in areas of natural, social and engineering sciences – available to provide services to organizations supporting indigenous and other communities affected by la mining. FAIME has secure records of expert people and groups with different skills, making it easier for them to come into contact with organizations and communities seeking specialized knowledge. The project seeks to increase access to scientific, socioeconomic, legal and technical services to avoid the environmental, social and economic impacts of mining. It has helped communities make informed decisions about mining projects and policies that affect their territories. The FAIME project is overseen by MiningWatch Canada, a host organization that also maintains and administers it, in collaboration with a management committee and an advisory committee of organizations around the world. These committees include representatives from FAIME's seven partner organizations, including AIDA, that work with dozens of mining-affected communities worldwide. Their role is to assist and advise the FAIME host organization.

‍BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
By sharing objectives and having similar missions, AIDA and FAIME have joined forces so that communities and organizations in Latin America that face the impacts of extractive activities have greater access to expert technical support. In this context, AIDA and FAIME seek to strengthen the work of both parties by hiring a person to support both the AIDA scientific team in its research projects and the coordination and planning of activities aimed at strengthening the FAIME project, thus contributing from both fronts to building more equitable, fair and inclusive societies. Since the majority of the work will be linked to Latin America and the Caribbean, whoever fills the vacancy will be part of the AIDA team and will work at least 50% of the time on FAIME activities.

POSITION OBJECTIVES
AIDA
→ Support the search for scientific information in academic, government and international sources.
→ Process and perform exploratory analyzes of scientific data. Synthesize the scientific information found and processed into technical reports that can be used as a starting point for more detailed documents prepared by the AIDA team.
→ Support the AIDA scientific team in the editing of technical-scientific documents, graphics and presentations.
→ Follow up on projects and cases that involve the AIDA scientific team.
→ Participate in the development internally and in building the capabilities of AIDA's scientific team.

‍FAIME
→ Promote FAIME through various strategies, approaches and channels in order to expand the list of experts that make up the project database.
→ Respond to queries related to FAIME and facilitate contact with experts, communities, organizations and others related actors, primarily in Latin America.
→ Participate in meetings and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including technical experts, academics, non-governmental and indigenous organizations and external service providers of FAIME. Support the development and the periodic updating of communication and promotional materials in Spanish, including the website, FAIME social networks and webinars.
→ Coordinate the regular updating of expert contact information and ensure the accuracy of all information recorded in the FAIME database.
→Assist with fundraising, communications and relevant administrative activities to maintain and expand the FAIME project in Latin America and at a general level.

REQUIREMENTS
→ Undergraduate professional degree in one or more fields of natural sciences (chemistry, biology, etc.), environmental sciences (environmental engineering, natural resource management, etc.), Earth sciences (geology, mining engineering, etc.) or other areas that involve specialization in sustainability, climate change, natural hazard management, etc.
→ Minimum two years of work experience related to project coordination and management issues and/or scientific research. Applicants who do not have experience, but who have a postgraduate degree in one of the aforementioned fields will be taken into account.→ Applicants must be Spanish speakers and have an upper-intermediate level of oral and written English.
→ Excellent attention to detail. Advanced experience and skills in the use of virtual platforms, databases and other technologies. Excellent interpersonal skills; whoever applies must feel comfortable contacting and communicating with new people and with people outside of AIDA and FAIME, both in Spanish and English (with communities, academia and organizations, for example).
→ High level of comfort with clear, respectful communication and concise, in person and through digital platforms.
→ Highly motivated, independent, dedicated and organized, with experience in independent work involving significant responsibilities and obligations.
→ Knowledge of data collection and management software (e.g. Airtable , Excel, Survey Monkey, Notion, etc.).
→ Familiarity and experience with research aspects related to environmental issues. Experience in searching and analyzing scientific information and data related to environmental and social impacts.
→ Positive, self-taught and decisive attitude .
→ Willingness to receive feedback and be supervised.
→ Demonstrated sensitivity and awareness of the needs and concerns of people of diverse cultures and orientations
.→ Commitment to helping create a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment that promotes and celebrates differences.

DESIRABLE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES
→ Demonstrated ability to manage and organize large volumes of data across multiple interfaces/platforms.
→ Knowledge of, or willingness to learn, applicable data privacy and security legislation.
→ Outstanding writing and synthesis skills in the field of scientific dissemination for audiences not trained in technical topics.
→ Management of scientific databases: Springer, JSTOR, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, EBSCO and others.
→ Graduate degree in related areas.
→ Demonstrated experience in collaboration with diverse groups , from scientists and technical experts to indigenous peoples and communities.
→ Experience working with non-profit organizations or in the public interest.
→ Commitment to environmental and human rights protection.
→ Knowledge of various computer applications and of social networks.
→ International work experience and with diverse cultures.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
→ Location: Latin America and the Caribbean (remote work).
→ Fees: To be agreed based on experience and location of work.
→ Duration: One year, with probable renewal depending on performance and availability of funds.
→ AIDA offers a flexible work scheme, an excellent work environment with a multicultural team, as well as an attractive benefits and compensation package that includes health insurance, three weeks of vacation initially and an additional week for year-end celebrations, full-time work of 7.5 hours a day and a bonus for professional development, among others. We care about your financial future, which is why we provide a retirement fund after two years of work in the organization.

APPLICATION MATERIALS
→ Letter of interest of a maximum of one page that mentions relevant experience, the reasons why who you want to work with AIDA and FAIME and why you consider yourself the ideal person to occupy the position.
→ Curriculum vitae or updated resume of a maximum of two pages. We strongly request that you refrain from sending personal information such as photograph, age, marital status, etc.

Applicants must send all application materials in a single document as soon as possible to: vacancies@aida-americas.org. Please put "AIDA and FAIME scientific call" in the subject of the message. Please indicate the means by which you learned about the vacancy. WE WILL MAKE A JOB OFFER AS SOON AS WE FIND A QUALIFIED CANDIDATE.

Only applications that have complete documentation will be processed. Please communicate via email ONLY. It is AIDA's policy to provide opportunities to all qualified persons and we reaffirm that there will be no discrimination against qualified applicants based on age, ancestry, creed, disability, marital status, medical condition, nationality, maternity, race, sex or any other factor not relevant to the performance of the contract.