Dates: 6th – 16th May, 2023 and 20th – 30th May, 2023
Meeting point: Port of Almerimar (Almería – SPAIN)
REGISTER UP TO April 3rd!

If you are interested in the offer, please, we ask you to do three things, before April 3rd:

1. Send your CV and a motivation letter to: info@alnitak.org  and media@mednight.eu   

2. Clearly indicate in the motivation letter the dates for which you are applying to volunteer. You can choose both or just one of the expeditions:

Dates: 6th – 16th May, 2023 and 20th – 30th May, 2023

Preference may be given to those who are more flexible and are able to do both consecutively 

3. Summarize your motivations in a video of less than a minute, upload it to Instagram and tag us: @mednighteu @alnitak_org

​​Mediterranean Open Sea Research

Co-funded and co-organised by MedNight and Alnitak, this is an assignment on board a historic research ship working in the World’s last great wilderness: the open sea ecosystem. Often out of sight of shore, with 2000 meters or more of water column below, the successful candidate would partake as a crew member in charge of documenting the daily life on board and ongoing scientific research conducted during the expedition, dissemination in media and social networks.

We are looking for a maximum of two students or graduates from any University located in countries of the Mediterranean basin to participate in the “Alnitak-Mednight International Volunteer Program” aboard the Research Vessel Toftevaag during the month of May.

The placement is a volunteer position, but all expenses are fully funded (travel to and from the ship, lodging on the ship, three meals a day) with the exception of personal costs such as deciding to eat out.

Since 1990 ALNITAK has been conducting open sea expeditions focusing on top pelagics (whales, dolphins, turtles, elasmobranchs, tunas, mantas and birds) and human activities. These 11-day Expeditions are intensive, weather-dependant and no two Expeditions are the same. Volunteers joining are integrated quickly as part of the crew, experiencing our daily lives as researchers and sailors on a historic wooden ship. This is not a tour or pleasure cruise, and we are honored to have the “Mediterranean’s most uncomfortable ship” with a culture of working as much as possible in the vast and sometimes hostile open sea.

The volunteer will cover one or two expeditions of 11 days traveling through the Alboran Sea. If joining both expeditions back-to-back, the volunteer can remain on board the ship, but will be expected to participate with the crew’s chores such as cleaning, laundry, and other tasks before the next group arrives.

The tasks on expeditions to be carried out by the Volunteer(s) will focus on communication tasks and specifically: 

• Daily communication through the Mednight RRSS of day-to-day work on the ship, through images and videos uploaded to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. 
• Elaboration of one video for each expedition, of between three and five minutes, with audio quality and scripted. These will have a creative component which the volunteer is expected to bring to the table, but will also be guided and coordinated with MedNight and ALNITAK to ensure correct content and maximise its use as an important end product to communicate the research projects.

What will be your challenge? 

Unless there is a good reason for leaving, the volunteer is expected to commit to the full time on board, as ALNITAK and MedNight won’t be able to find a replacement in time, and every person is essential to the functioning of everyday life on board. We are, quite literally, counting on you! So please read carefully:

If you have trouble adapting to living in small quarters, waking up early, and working long hours, this may not be an Expedition for you. However, if you are looking for a true adventure dictated by the weather, meeting like-minded people, working with a small dedicated team, and are passionate about communicating the results of important research and addressing today’s conservation issues through social media posts and documentation tasks, we have a bunk bed ready waiting for you. There are 12 bunk beds in total divided in three shared cabins.

What will make you succeed?

• A minimum experience at sea, not mandatory but recommended
• Comfortable to adapting to daily life on board: often waking up early, can get cold or hot, moderate physical work, teamwork, will do cleaning and cooking tasks like everyone else.
• Good “people skills” as they will be expected to interact or to some extent involve volunteers in their documentation and dissemination tasks.
• Motivation and knowledge for dissemination in social media and other communication / documentation tasks.
• You are able to speak and write in English.
• And of course, don’t hold back if you have any questions about your responsibilities or suggestions on how to improve!

In addition, we would especially like to see…

• Capacity to adapt to diverse situations; therefore a solution-minded, innovative, proactive and creative mindset.
• Respectful and collaborative, to be part of a culture of true collaboration and support.
• Active listener and hands-on attitude.
• ALNITAK opens its projects to people of all kinds, regardless of culture, political ideals, etc. but does expect a minimum of presentable appearance at specific times (eg meet authorities in port, day of reception of volunteers, etc.).

REQUIREMENTS

• You will need a passport / ID. As part of our Expedition we may end up in Moroccan waters or entering harbors there, therefore the person needs to be sure that with their passport/ID document they can enter Morocco without this being a problem.
• Person up to 30 years old. 
• Young professional profile in communication for whom this opportunity will help progress in their career, preferably not just “influencer”or “youtuber”.
• Flexibility with the diet (on the boat it is predominantly vegetarian). We can accommodate other dietary requirements (allergies/intolerances).

CONDITIONS

• The agreed work will be 100% finished before disembarking.
• Participants will have a financial aid of maximum €250 or €500 to cover travel expenses and other expenses in the case of carrying out one or two expeditions, respectively, and they will be provided with accommodation and meals for the duration of the Program. In addition, the volunteers will be exempt from the financial contribution of €1.100 which is usually necessary to join an ALNITAK expedition, which will be financed by Mednight.
• The person will have to sign an intellectual property document: all audiovisual material belongs exclusively to ALNITAK, although it will be freely used by MedNight, and as such all the raw material will be downloaded every 1-3 days to ALNITAK’s hard drive.
• You will be presented with a non-exhaustive list of tasks: recording the activities on board, being in contact with MEDNIGHT, taking care of sending material to MEDNIGHT, coordinating with the crew and volunteers.
• When appropriate, inform volunteers on his/her tasks, and involve them when it makes sense.
• Like every volunteer or associate joining ALNITAK expeditions, it is his/her responsibility to arrive at the designated meeting spot on Day 1, and any delays will be notified to ALNITAK with as much time as possible.
• ALNITAK’s Terms and Conditions also apply, in their entirety, to the intern (PDF attached)

Would you like to know more?

Alborán Sea: southern Spain, Morocco and Strait of Gibraltar 

The Alboran Sea is known to be the most biodiverse basin of the Mediterranean Sea, but wildlife here is exposed to multiple threats. Of these, Alnitak focuses on illegal fishing and ghost gear, and in particular pelagic drift nets which have been prohibited since 2002 but are still in use. In recent years, Alnitak has observed a perceived decline in cetaceans in the region, but we need to do more research to confirm this. Taking data and imagery of species such as common dolphins and pilot whales, while also monitoring the threats they face, is our main aim for these expeditions. 

Alnitak crew and volunteers will monitor the open sea ecosystem and in particular sites such as the “Seco de los Olivos” seamount, Cabo de Gata Natural Park, the waters around Alborán Island and possibly even off the North African coast (conditions permitting). Volunteers will live and work on board Toftevaag as part of the team, will receive ongoing training and guidance, while immersing themselves in the day-to-day tasks including research and navigation, but also participate in cleaning, cooking and more. While in the harbour of Almerimar, we are right next to the Equinac marine wildlife rescue centre, and will help with ongoing maintenance and caring for sick or injured marine turtles, when required. 

These two expeditions will be the last Mediterranean Sea surveys on board RV Toftevaag after 33 consecutive years of working as a platform for conservation, and will mark the end of a chapter for ASOCIACIÓN CULTURAL ALNITAK (Alnitak Research Institute). Telling this story will be the main theme of the assignment.

INFORMED CONSENT

FOR THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA

We inform you that the personal data you provide us by this form will be processed by the staff of the Alnitak-Mednight International Volunteer Program belonging to ASOCIACIÓN CULTURAL ALNITAK (Alnitak Research Institute) with address in  Calle Nalón 16 C.P. 28240 de Hoyo de Manzanares – Madrid, – Spain, as controller of the treatment. Your data will be processed in compliance with data protection regulations in order to manage your participation in the Alnitak-Mednight International Volunteer Program. 

By means of this text and in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU 2016/679) and Organic Law 3/2018, you are hereby informed that:

– You have the right to receive in advance all the necessary information according to the adaptation needs you need for this. If you do not understand something or want more information do not hesitate to contact us at info@alnitak.org

– Your personal data will not be communicated to third parties and will be kept for the duration of the purpose of the processing for which they were provided, and once it ends they will be stored, after blocking, for the time necessary for the prescription of the actions that could be derived from the processing of the data.

– Likewise, if awarded, the data holder consents that his name and surnames be published in digital channels of ASOCIACIÓN CULTURAL ALNITAK (Alnitak Research Institute) and MEDNIGHT.

– The information you provide must be truthful. When providing your data, the participant guarantees the authenticity of such data. Otherwise, you will be liable for any damage you may cause to the Association or third parties by failing to provide authentic data. 

– According to Articles 15 to 22 of the European Regulation (EU) 2016/679, you have the right to request from the data controller access to your personal data, to its rectification or deletion, to the limitation of its processing, or to oppose the processing, as well as the right to data portability. You should also be aware that such rights may be exercised directly or through a legal or voluntary representative.

– The present Competition organized by ASOCIACIÓN CULTURAL ALNITAK (Alnitak Research Institute) and the project “MEDNIGHT”, is subject with all its scope and extension to the application of the Spanish Intellectual Property regulations and specifically to Royal Legislative Decree 1/1996, of April 12, which approves the Consolidated Text of the Law on Intellectual Property and other regulations that apply to it.

THAT HAS BEEN INFORMED BY the ASOCIACIÓN CULTURAL ALNITAK (Alnitak Research Institute) and the MEDNIGHT Project, through the informative text of Personal Data contained in the present Consent, of the details relating to the personal data requested for the management of the application for participation in Alnitak-Mednight International Volunteer Program”, the purposes to which they will be used, which will not be used for other purposes, the planned transfers and other information required by the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union.

INFORMATION SHEET ON THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA

ASOCIACIÓN CULTURAL ALNITAK (Alnitak Research Institute) and the MEDNIGHT Project in compliance with Article 13 of the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union 2016/679, GDPR, of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 27 April 2016, informs you of the following terms regarding your personal data:

In charge for the processing of your data: ASOCIACIÓN CULTURAL ALNITAK (Alnitak Research Institute)

Address: Calle Nalón 16 C.P. 28240 de Hoyo de Manzanares – Madrid,

Telf: +34 649 488 621

email: info@alnitak.org 

Category of data requested from the data subject: The personal data requested are those necessary for the processing of your request, and are exclusively related to the identification of the applicant

Origin of data:The interested party

Purposes of processing: Management and processing of the application submitted

Lawfulness of Processing: The interested party consents to the processing of his personal data for the purposes specified by signing his request and this Informed Consent. 

Recipients of personal data: ASOCIACIÓN CULTURAL ALNITAK (Alnitak Research Institute) workers

International data transfer: No

Periods of storage or deletion of the data: The data will be stored for an indefinite period, until the end of the purpose for which they are processed, plus the period of time of retention, if any.

Exercise of Rights: You have the right to request access to and rectification of personal data. The right to erasure of data and the right to object to processing are not possible without the annulment of the request made. You have the right to limit the processing of your data to the specified purposes. 

You can request the exercise of the above rights by sending a written communication to info@alnitak.org 

Withdrawal of consent to the processing of your data: The withdrawal of consent would result in the cancellation and cancellation of your request.Complaint to the Spanish Data Protection Agency: You have the right to complain to the Spanish Data Protection Agency (www.agpd.es), if you consider that your rights regarding the protection of your personal data are not respected.