Position: Project Assistant - (1 position)
Location: Bengaluru (With travel to project sites in Maharashtra and Goa)
Programme: Coral Reef Research and Conservation
Reporting Head: Project Manager
Duration: 1 Year
Desired language proficiency: Marathi / Konkani and English
About us:
The Wildlife Conservation Society-India works to conserve wildlife backed by science. We work in partnership with governmental and non-governmental organizations to deal with conservation challenges such as human-wildlife interaction, countering wildlife trafficking, conservation of marine ecosystems and species, conservation of endangered species, livelihood development of local communities, and so on. Committed to wildlife conservation and the ecological worldview that recognizes the inextricable link between human welfare and the protection of wildlife and wild spaces, WCS-India endeavours to inspire positive attitudes in people towards wildlife.
Project Background:
Urban coral reefs along the Konkan coast of India, particularly around Grande Island complex and Malvan, are ecologically significant nearshore ecosystems that support high marine biodiversity and provide critical ecosystem services. These reefs exist within multi-use seascapes where tourism, fisheries, and coastal development overlap, making them both valuable and highly vulnerable. They face increasing pressure from human activities. Land-based pollution, including wastewater discharge and runoff, degrades water quality, while unsustainable fishing practices impact marine populations. Tourism-related activities such as anchoring, unmanaged watersports, fish feeding, and plastic pollution further damage fragile coral habitats. These cumulative pressures threaten reef health, reduce biodiversity, and undermine the livelihoods that depend on them.
With the aim of safeguarding urban coral reef habitats, Wildlife Conservation Society-India works with government, private, and community stakeholders to address these challenges through research, capacity-building, and outreach.
Roles and Responsibilities:
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Assist with projects data collection activities including questionnaire surveys, ecological and observation surveys as per project requirements.
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Assist with desk-based research and development of project reports, short-written outputs, including social media content.
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Assist in designing and executing outreach activities pertaining to the project.
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Liaise with individuals, local community groups, governing and non-governing agencies towards project implementation efforts.
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Assist in organising and conducting focused group discussions, workshops and stakeholder meetings as per project requirements.
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Assist the team in preparation of project documents, scientific publications, popular articles as required by WCS-India.
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Collaborate with other members of the organisation on research ideas, ancillary projects, and any other activities pertaining to the WCS-India.
Qualification & Requirements:
Experience and Knowledge
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0-2 years of work experience in wildlife sciences, ecology, and marine conservation, and/or with coastal communities.
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Verbal and written communication skills in Marathi.
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Highly motivated individual demonstrating a willingness to learn and the ability to apply their knowledge and skills to project activities.
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Basic understanding of issues pertaining to marine sciences, conservation, and ecosystem management.
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Experience in academic and non-academic writing and editing or outreach activities is desirable.
Education
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Post-graduate degree, preferably a Master's degree in Wildlife Biology, Biodiversity Management, Conservation Sciences, Marine Sciences or allied subjects
OR Equivalent years of work experience.
Desirable Skills
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Knowledge of curating, analysing, and visualizing data using GIS platforms and analytical software such as MS Excel, R, etc.
Compensation: Offered as per the qualification and experience.
Apply:
To apply, please send a cover letter and an updated resume in one file. Submit your application using the subject line “Project Assistant - Coral Reef Project” to careers@wcsindia.org by 10th April, 2026.
We thank all applicants for their interest in this position; however, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further process.