Description:
Position Description: Pest Readi Project Officer (0.6 FTE, Identified)
Employment Type: Fixed Term. (0.4-0.6 FTE) 2-3 days a week.
Term: Up to three years
Hours: 7.6 hour day, flexible hours
Salary/Rate: $70,000 - $95,000 pa (pro rata 0.4-0.6 FTE) - plus 12% superannuation
Approval: Oliver Costello
Location: Flexible
Role Type: Aboriginal identified
Come and work with us at Jagun Alliance Aboriginal Cooperation in Cultural land and water care!
Background
Jagun Alliance, based in the Northern Rivers of Northern NSW, has a clear vision – “We care for Country, as Country cares for us”. As an Aboriginal led not for profit charity, we focus on Caring for Country through Community leadership and benefit sharing. We have a diverse range of community, government and sector partnerships and projects delivering positive impacts. Caring for Country means everything to us. Jagun Alliance is on the ground, in the community and wherever we are welcomed to connect, listen, learn, act or share knowledge and practice’s that are good for Community and Country. We are based in the Northern Rivers region of NSW and engage widely in purposeful partnerships with First Nations communities, government organisations, local industries, motivated landholders and the wider community to care for, protect and restore Jagun (Country).
Jagun Alliance is a Community Partner in a project with CSIRO and other research partners called Pest READI: Regionally Enabled Agroecological Decision Intelligence. The Project aims to create healthy, abundant landscapes by transforming the way communities work together to manage plant pests. By integrating past, present and future knowledge into a digital platform that connects decision-making across landscapes, the key output from the Project will be tools for scenario-based decision support for Area-wide (landscape scale) Integrated Pest Management. The Project will achieve this by drawing on the diverse skillset of CSIRO and subcontracted Project partners (risk evaluation, field ecology, integrated agripest control, spatial modelling, plant biology, psychology, rural sociology, socio-economics, data science, digital decision support).
About the Role
Jagun Alliance’s role in the Project is to work with the Project team to engage with the Indigenous Community to co-develop research objectives aligned with Bundjalung community priorities and biosecurity concerns in the region. The researchers will assist with the gathering of data for the case study on pest distributions/risks as well as enterprises/networks in the Indigenous Community and undertake fieldwork studies designed to align with the research objectives of the Project team. Jagun Alliance will also undertake engagement activities with stakeholders - to be identified and agreed in the co-development of the communication plan. In the final two years of the Project, Jagun Alliance will contribute to up to three regional case studies to test the plant protection information platform and gather field data with which to validate digital Project outputs. Jagun Alliance will also contribute to milestone reports as needed, in particular through the supply of field data to Project collaborators. The position will report to the Project Coordinator and work closely with other Jagun staff to coordinate project activities with other Jagun Alliance projects.
Key Responsibilities
- Work with the Project team to engage communities in project activities and assist with recording or documenting information in accordance with cultural protocols.
- Assist in coordinating and undertaking project work including workshops, meetings, and other community engagement activities in close cooperation with the Project team and other Jagun project activities.
- Develop and maintain strong working relationships with the participating communities, colleagues, and other Project participants, including Elders, community members and relevant community groups, government and non-government organisations.
- Assist in documenting project activities, outcomes and work with the Project team to contribute to project planning and reporting.
- Work with the Project team and other Jagun staff to use photos and other communications products to communicate with communities and project funders on project progress and outcomes.
- Assist in the implementation of policies and procedures to ensure the safe and successful delivery of project activities.
- Attend relevant forums, training sessions, seminars and workshops that will inform and support the achievement of the objectives of the project.
Skills And Experience
This role is an identified Aboriginal role and therefore, applicants for this position must be of Aboriginal descent by parentage, identify as being Aboriginal, and be accepted in the community as such. An applicant’s race is a genuine occupational qualification and is authorised under Section 14(d) of the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977.
- Knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal culture and the ability to work with Aboriginal and culturally diverse people.
- Demonstrated skills in community engagement and working successfully with local communities and partner organisations.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to listen, understand and synthesise multiple perspectives
- Current driving licence (required) and the ability to drive 4WD (desirable).
- Ability to carry out community-based activities where required. This may require a reasonable level of fitness and willingness to stay overnight in remote locations on occasion.
- A tertiary or vocational training qualification in education, health, social sciences, environment, or a related discipline would be desirable but not essential.