Sr. Biodiversity Officer

Forest Carbon is an environmental asset manager, stewarding Southeast Asia’s most valuable ecosystems to deliver long term value for climate, biodiversity, and communities.

About the Role

The Senior Biodiversity Officer is responsible for independently and reliably delivering biodiversity monitoring activities at project sites. The role focuses on end-to-end responsibility for defined field data collection outputs, consistently following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and escalating exceptions or unfamiliar risks to the Science & Impact team or supervisors for support in biodiversity reporting.

The officer is accountable for the quality of their own deliverables, applying sound judgment to variations within established frameworks. While the role involves a range of flora and fauna surveys, the successful candidate is expected to have a strong background in botany/plant taxonomy and a willingness to develop expertise in animal identification as well.

Key Responsibilities

Biodiversity Monitoring & Field Implementation

• Independently deliver assigned biodiversity monitoring activities in accordance with approved monitoring plans, taking full responsibility for defined outputs.

• Lead vegetation surveys in peat swamp areas and other Sumatran lowland forests, collecting high-quality biomass data and botanical voucher specimens where required. Strong taxonomic knowledge is essential.

• Conduct additional field surveys with team support, including camera trap deployment for mammal monitoring, point count transects for bird monitoring, bioacoustics surveys, and other opportunistic biodiversity assessments.

• Monitor High Conservation Value (HCV) areas.

• Follow established methodologies, safety protocols, and monitoring schedules consistently, applying judgment to routine but non-identical field situations.

• Identify issues and variations during monitoring activities, resolve routine challenges independently, and escalate exceptions or unfamiliar risks to the Science & Impact team or supervisor.

Data Management & Documentation

• Accurately enter field observations, taking responsibility for the quality of all deliverables before review and analysis by the Science & Impact team.

• Update species inventories based on collected field data.

• Ensure all assigned field documentation is complete, well-organized, and submitted on time to avoid delays in team outputs or project timelines.

Operational Support

• Operate patrol monitoring tools and software independently within established guidelines for standard field data collection.

• Provide regular and reliable updates to supervisors regarding field progress, proactively identifying potential issues early to mitigate operational risks.

Compliance & Safety

• Strictly adhere to wildlife safety protocols and fieldwork safety standards at all times.

• Participate in relevant technical training and capacity-building programs.

Technical Skills

• Solid understanding and practical experience in biodiversity field monitoring techniques (e.g., camera traps, vegetation plots, bird surveys).

• Ability to independently collect, process, and manage field data with high reliability.

• Proficient in species identification (flora and fauna) relevant to the project area; a strong background in botany is essential.

• Competent in spatial awareness, including map reading and GPS usage.

• Working knowledge of High Conservation Value (HCV) frameworks.

• Strict adherence to health, safety, and wildlife field protocols.

Soft Skills

• Operational discipline: Works independently with strong attention to detail and consistently follows SOPs.

• Field coordination: Able to manage field schedules in remote or challenging environments with reliable performance.

• Communication: Provides clear and timely field updates; identifies and escalates issues early to supervisors and the Science & Impact team. Basic English skills are an advantage.

• Team support: Collaborative and supportive when working in field teams.

• Safety & responsibility: High awareness of field safety and wildlife risks; makes low-risk decisions and escalates unfamiliar issues appropriately.

• Decision-making: Works independently within SOPs, applies judgment to routine variations, and escalates exceptions when necessary.