UNEP-WCMC

The scheme aims to help young professionals prepare for a role in national and regional policy development and decision-making to resolve biodiversity-related challenges. Over a period of one year, and with support from the Centre's staff, they will:

Review and analyse available information on the status of biodiversity and its conservation and sustainable use, focusing on particular species, ecosystems or conservation approaches
Develop reports, tools and/or other outputs relevant to the identified area of work with specific recommendations for their implementation and use by policymakers and practitioners

Successful candidates work alongside UNEP-WCMC staff, helping to enhance the Centre's knowledge base on biodiversity and its conservation, and supporting preparation of information products and services to decision makers ranging from UNEP to the private sector, and from governments to the international environmental agreements.

All studies will be based in Cambridge and there will be no opportunities for fieldwork. The Centre does not award formal qualifications and the scheme is not intended for those seeking higher degrees.

Subject areas

In order to maximise opportunities for building experience, candidates are particularly sought to work on the following areas of the Centre's activities:

Policy-relevant research on climate change and biodiversity issues , including: the impacts of mitigation policy on biodiversity (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, biofuels); developing adaptation plans for biodiversity in developing countries; relationships between biodiversity and carbon storage.
Enhancing the World Database on Protected Areas, including: review of information on particular countries and regions; analysis and assessment of particlar protected area related issues; gap analysis; impacts on local peoples; and protected area management effectiveness.
Delivering indicators for assessing progress in achieving the 2010 global biodiversity target, including: helping to develop and test global and regional indicators; reviewing links between indicators and assessing their relevance to policy; and clarifying links between global indicators and national datasets.
Providing information services related to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species , including: analysis of information for particular taxa and/or regions.
Research, synthesis, analysis and mapping of marine and coastal biodiversity issues including: sustainable use of marine and coastal goods and services; responses to current and emerging issues such as climate change, assessment of the marine environment, high/deep-seas issues, and the 2012 MPA target.
Biodiversity informatics , especially geospatial aspects, web mapping, service oriented architectures, distributed metadata catalogues, distributed modelling and data management tools, also development of standards compliant web mapping services and transactional web feature servers. A minimum of twelve months software development experience plus ESRI or Open Source GIS knowledge is required for this area of work.

Candidates may propose other areas of work based on their own areas of interest and experience provided that this is consistent with the Centre's aims and objectives. A review of the Centre's website (www.unep-wcmc.org) will help to identify relevant areas.

Eligibility

Applications will be considered from candidates from any country other than those in the European Union (except for the 2004 Accession States), North America and Canada. Priority will be given to candidates from developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

Successful candidates will be:

Graduates with proven academic skills.
Committed to return to their country and contribute to the socio-economic development of their country through implementing new skills and knowledge acquired in the UK.
Able to show at interview that they possess the personal qualities to benefit from their scholarship and use it to succeed in their chosen career.
Clear about how their scholarship will benefit their country on their return.
Able to demonstrate good English Language skills (with an IELTS of 6.5 where applicable).

Funding

Each scholarship is currently worth £9,754 per annum, including all allowances. In addition, one economy class airfare to and from the UK will be paid.

The scholarship is currently supported by UK Government's British Chevening Scholarships Programme, and The Salters' Company.