applications closed for season 2026-27 

Join to our team as a field coordinator IN THE COSTA RICA´S HEART OF NICOYA PENINSULA!

Coordinadores 2024

About the Organization

The Threatened Marine Species Rescue Center (CREMA by its Spanish acronym) runs a comprehensive conservation program to protect endangered marine species along several beaches on the southern Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. A key focus of our work is sea turtle conservation, with a nesting program that operates each year during the olive ridley nesting season (June–January). Our activities include night patrols and morning beach surveys, the protection of nests in project hatcheries, environmental education, and community engagement at both local and international levels.

This holistic approach not only helps safeguard sea turtles but also supports local livelihoods by creating jobs and promoting sustainable tourism. The olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) is the most common nesting species on these beaches, while green turtles (Chelonia mydas), leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) nest less frequently.

Egg poaching is the primary threat facing sea turtles nesting in the area. Other challenges include nest predation, plastic pollution, beach erosion, coastal development, and increasing tourist activity. CREMA is dedicated to reducing these threats and ensuring the long-term protection of marine turtles and their habitats.

 

Position Available: Beach Project Coordinator

Position Type: Seasonal volunteer position requiring availability for night shifts, weekends, and holidays, as needed.

Position Summary

The Beach Project Coordinator is responsible for overseeing Local Monitors, international Research Assistants/Interns, and short-term Volunteers. This role includes supervising night patrols and morning beach surveys, managing data collection and entry, overseeing hatchery operations, and organizing environmental education activities and English classes with the local community, when/if possible.

Ideal candidates are highly motivated, organized, and proactive team players who are comfortable working in dynamic field conditions. Coordinators play an active role in a diverse and collaborative community of volunteers, students, researchers, and local partners, all while experiencing Costa Rica’s vibrant Pura Vida lifestyle. 

Program Duration:

  1. San Miguel: June 30 2026 – December 15, 2026
  2. Costa de Oro: June 30 2026 – December 15, 2026
  3. Corozalito: June 30, 2026 – January 31, 2027

Location

Positions are available at four project sites in southern Nicoya Peninsula, Guanacaste, Costa Rica:

PLAYAS SAN MIGUEL AND COSTA DE ORO

These beaches host hundreds of nesting olive ridley turtles each season, along with occasional nesting by green, hawksbill, and leatherback turtles. Both have a hatchery where the nests are relocated. San Miguel and Costa de Oro Coordinators must be sociable and adaptable to a constantly changing team, adept at engaging with volunteers, and experienced with participatory science.

PLAYA COROZALITO

 

Hosting thousands of nesting olive ridley turtles per season, Corozalito also sees occasional nesting by green, hawksbill, and leatherback turtles. This project may be the most physically demanding, primarily due to the intense nesting activity. It requires a strong interest in community work, as it actively engages with the community, which develops tourism activities around turtle conservation.

Requirements

Applicants must have at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, be organized, detail-oriented, and able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing (in English and Spanish). They should be adaptable to unexpected situations and unfamiliar cultures. Applicants must commit to full program dates (6 to 7 months, depending on the project). Previous experience with sea turtles and environmental education programs is required. Candidates should be reliable, responsible, free-thinking, entrepreneurial, and highly motivated to work as team leaders. They should have strong interpersonal, communication, decision-making, logistical, and organizational skills. Comfort with outdoor and/or remote environments, good physical condition (able to lift 45 kg [100 lbs], walk on soft sand, etc.), and the ability to perform physically demanding work at night and during extreme weather conditions are essential. Applicants must be open to giving and receiving performance feedback, maintaining a positive and motivated atmosphere.

Duties

The coordinator's main activities in nesting areas include:

  1. Beach Monitoring
  2. Nest Management
  3. Daily Maintenance and Tasks
  4. Leading Volunteers and Visitors
  5. Public Awareness

The coordinator will work 6 days a week, with a day off each week. Typical work hours are during the night, with remaining time dedicated to equipment maintenance and data processing. Responsibilities include:

  • Maintaining a positive, communicative attitude on all team and research program matters.
  • Coordinating and supervising activities of Research Assistants, Volunteers, and Local Monitors.
  • Leading 3-4 hour night patrols and morning surveys.
  • Collecting biometric data and tagging nesting turtles.
  • Photographing turtles for individual identification and collecting tissue samples.
  • Constructing and maintaining project hatcheries.
  • Managing the hatchery, conducting nest excavations, and releasing hatchlings.
  • Collaborating with local monitors.
  • Updating collected data (data entry) and preparing weekly schedules.
  • Visiting other projects as needed.
  • Planning and implementing environmental and English classes with the community.
  • Conserving and maintaining the field station house.
  • Training volunteers.
  • Assisting with social media content collection.
  • Maintaining open, professional communication with staff and volunteers.
  • Attending all scheduled staff meetings with research and field supervisors.
  • Conducting ongoing inventory of supplies and equipment.

Although research is an integral part of the position, most of these projects are funded through Turtle Trax S.A.’s volunteer program. Coordinators and research assistants must make a conscious effort to ensure volunteers feel included in the research team and have a positive experience.

Benefits/Costs

CREMA will cover meals and accommodations throughout the program. Coordinators receive a monthly stipend of $300 to cover personal expenses. Coordinators are responsible for their transportation to and from project sites; however, CREMA will cover USD $300 of flight costs.

Application Instructions

Send your resume, a cover/motivation letter, and contact information for three references to sgutierrez@cremacr.org,  ninive.espinoza@cremacr.org and nestingresearch@gmail.com. Include "BEACH PROJECT COORDINATOR POSITION_ (your last name)" in the subject line to avoid misplacement. Candidates who do not meet the qualifications outlined in this document will not be considered. Please check if your country requires a visa to enter Costa Rica before applying.