Conservation Field Assistant - Kekoldi, Costa Rica

Start Your Conservation Career in the Costa Rican Rainforest

Location: Kekoldi, Costa Rica | Start Date: March 2026

🌿 LAUNCH YOUR CONSERVATION JOURNEY WITH PURPOSE

You’re passionate about wildlife, thrive in tough environments, and light up when you’re in the forest. You’re looking for a real opportunity to build hands-on experience, live immersed in biodiversity, and contribute to meaningful conservation projects.

At GVI Kekoldi, we help early-career conservationists like you grow fast, learn deeply, and do work that matters.

✨ WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

As a Field Assistant, you’ll be part of a small, passionate team delivering daily surveys, supporting volunteers, and helping run operations at our remote rainforest base. You’ll gain technical field skills, mentorship, and experience leading groups - all while supporting impactful conservation work in one of Costa Rica’s most important biodiversity hotspots.

This role is designed for someone passionate about nature and conservation, not someone looking for comfort or routine.

🎯 WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

• Assisting with wildlife surveys and day-to-day conservation work
• Supporting and guiding volunteers and interns on base and in the field
• Creating engaging social content for our Kekoldi Instagram account
• Helping with onboarding and delivering training workshops
• Organising fun activities and games to build a strong community culture
• Acting as a role model, demonstrating a strong work ethic and care for others

You’ll be trained in our field protocols and report directly to the Program Manager.

🚀 WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TEAM

• Passion for conservation and nature
• Great communication and people skills
• Creative energy and an enthusiasm for community-building
• Ability to live and work in remote, rugged conditions
• Physical fitness to hike in steep, muddy terrain for up to 6 hours a day
• Comfort around snakes and interest in herpetology and birdlife

Bonus if you also bring:

• Previous experience with fieldwork or tropical conservation
• Experience volunteering or working in group-based programs
• University studies in biology, conservation, or a related field

🎉 WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU

• A unique and immersive conservation experience

• All meals cooked by our wonderful local chef

• Visa support (where applicable)

• Growth opportunities across our 17 locations

• A pathway into long-term conservation work

• A collaborative, purpose-driven culture

• In-house training and mentoring

• Emergency medical and travel insurance

🌴 LIVING & WORKING CONDITIONS AT KEKOLDI

Click here to see what the team is up to!

Our home is a wooden treehouse-style station, deep in the jungle, powered by solar energy. You’ll hike 20 minutes on a rainforest trail to reach us, so pack light - but come prepared.

🏠 Living Conditions:

• Basic but cosy private or shared rooms
• Wi-Fi available (signal strength varies)
• Staff are on duty 1 in every 2–3 weekends

🚗 Getting Around:

• Base is a 20-minute hike from the main road
• Nearby towns are 5–15 minutes away by taxi or bus
• Weekends off unless on rotation - plenty of time to explore the area

🧗 Fitness & Conditions:

• You must be physically fit - work includes long hikes, heat, humidity, mud, and heavy lifting
• You’ll work outdoors in the elements 5 days a week
• Adaptability and resilience are a must

🧳 Packing & Gear:

• Tall wellies, long socks, strong headtorch, binoculars
• Waterproof clothing and layers for cooler evenings
• Laptops and basic field kit are required (full packing list provided on acceptance)

🌱WORKING AT GVI

At GVI, we're driven by the desire to make a positive impact on our planet and its people. Our dedicated teams are actively working to address global challenges and together, we leverage a diverse set of specialised skills to pursue a shared vision: cultivating a brighter and more sustainable future for all.

Working at GVI is fast-paced and fun. You will join a community that values passion, authenticity and innovation, and where we treat each other with respect. But we can do better than words to show you who we are! To see what it's really like to work for GVI:

🎥 Watch Here

📰 Read Here

👥 Meet the Team

✅ YOUR NEXT STEP

If you’re ready to live your values, lead with purpose, and contribute to meaningful wildlife conservation, we want to hear from you.

Please send us your CV and a short Cover Letter sharing why this role is the right fit for you.

Kindly note: We genuinely appreciate every application we receive. If you haven’t heard from us within 3–4 weeks, it likely means we’ve moved forward with other candidates this time. That said, we’d love for you to stay connected and consider applying again in the future!

SDG Impact