Rangeland Management Specialist

The Rangeland Management Specialist will provide technical and operational support for implementing holistic, regenerative and community-based rangeland management systems to conserve and sustainably utilize endangered indigenous livestock breeds in Northwest Iran. The role involves baseline assessments, field mapping, developing grazing management plans, and supporting capacity-building activities.

Responsibilities

• Support undertaking a baseline assessment in the target provinces to compile and analyze existing information on rangeland conditions, land degradation, biodiversity (flora and fauna), and natural resource use.
• Support conducting field mapping and sampling of rangeland resources, integrating available geospatial and environmental data, and prepare analytical summaries and maps.
• Assist in assessing rangeland soils, vegetation composition, carrying capacity, and seasonal forage availability to inform sustainable grazing strategies.
• Support developing holistic and regenerative grazing management plans including pasture rotation systems, grazing calendars and stocking rate recommendations.
• Support preparing rangeland rehabilitation and reseeding plans, identifying suitable native species and sustainable restoration practices for target districts.
• Provide assistance on ecosystem restoration, water conservation and improved pasture management practices to reduce overgrazing and land degradation.
• Assist in preparing practical community-based rangeland and landscape management plans aligned with breed conservation objectives.
• Support reviewing consistency of grazing management recommendations with feed resource availability and the reproductive and productive performance goals of endangered indigenous breeds.
• Contribute technical inputs to the comprehensive conservation plan for Animal Genetic Resources in Northwest Iran, particularly regarding rangeland sustainability and stakeholder engagement.
• Support assessing training needs of herders, camel owners, technicians and local experts, and support in designing and delivering capacity-building activities on sustainable and biodiversity-friendly rangeland management.
• Assist in the development of technical content to knowledge-sharing events, workshops and learning visits, and support presenting of findings and recommendations to project stakeholders and experts.
• Support developing practical technical standards and specifications for sustainable management of range resources under the project framework.
• Provide technical assistance for preparation of relevant LOAs/contracts related to rangeland activities, workshops and events.
• Support preparing concise technical reports summarizing assessments, field missions, recommendations and implemented activities.
• Support project visibility and initiatives related to sustainable rangeland management and pastoral systems where relevant.
• Perform any other related duties as required by the project team.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in rangeland ecology, environmental sciences, rangeland management, forestry, botany (dendrology), soil science, natural resource management, watershed management or a related field.
• At least five (5) years of relevant professional experience in rangeland management, including grazing management, rangeland rehabilitation, and sustainable use of pasture resources.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English.
• National of I.R. Iran or resident of the country with a valid work permit.
• Sound understanding of native and invasive plant species, as well as soil science, including soil sampling, profiling and mapping.
• Familiarity with GIS, digital mapping and spatial data analysis.
• Proven experience in stakeholder engagement, including collaboration with local communities, government institutions and partners.
• Strong communication skills in English and Farsi; knowledge of local languages in the target provinces is an asset.
• Demonstrated commitment to teamwork and collaborative work approaches.
• Strong knowledge of rangeland ecology, ecosystem services, watershed management, and plant–soil–animal interactions.
• Preferably based in one of the target provinces (Ardabil, East/West Azarbaijan, or Kurdistan) and willing to travel to project sites as required.
• Familiarity with local languages (Turkish or Kurdish) is an asset.

Skills

• Rangeland Management
• Grazing Management
• Rangeland Rehabilitation
• Sustainable Pasture Use
• Rangeland Ecology
• Soil Science
• Soil Sampling
• Soil Profiling
• Soil Mapping
• GIS
• Digital Mapping
• Spatial Data Analysis
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Community Collaboration
• Watershed Management
• Plant-Soil-Animal Interactions
• Baseline Assessments
• Grazing Management Plans
• Capacity Building

Languages

English, Farsi