Intern with us and help to save the slow loris! Thinking about an internship? You can read the experiences of interns past and present here.

Thank you for your interest in completing an internship with Little Fireface Project at our research station in West Java, Indonesia. For information on internships as a foreign national, please continue reading below, for information on internships as an Indonesian national please click here.

Internships for foreign nationals

Due to changes in the Indonesian research permit and visa process, as of 2024 we are only offering minimum 6 month internships for foreign nationals.

Three to four assistants at a time are required to observe the behaviour and ecology of wild slow lorises alongside our trained local guides, using radio-tracking, nocturnal behavioural observation and habitat assessment. During the day, interns will help with our education and community programmes. Interns are welcome any time of the year subject to availability, we have a minimum stay of 6 months due to Indonesian permit regulations.

Research station location

Our research station is situated in the village of Cipaganti, near Garut town, West Java. Interns will stay in our research station with an in-house team of staff in sex-segregated dormitories. Meals consisting of local cuisine are provided 6 days a week, and laundry service is provided 3 days a week. Interns will all be responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and tidiness of the station. Local mobile networks are well-developed and we have in-house WiFi.

Eligibility

Ideally, volunteers will have basic experience of working on a scientific research project, collecting and working systematically with data, and have a passion to watch animals (even lazy ones on a cold dark night!). They must be mature, responsible, reliable, open, flexible, healthy, able to work independently but also as part of a team, and be highly motivated. Nocturnal work can be hard, especially in rainy and cold nights, and when animals decide that they do not want to be seen. Life in the research station may not permit a lot of personal space (rooms have to be shared). The applicant should have above average social skills, and must be happy to take her/his share in housekeeping and cooking. Applicants must be willing to learn about the methods used to study the lorises, their environment and the people they live alongside. Applicants must also realise that this is not a holiday, but that they may be working 40 or more hours a week to follow animals, maintain the research station and enter data.

Costs

This is a voluntary position and the applicant is responsible for their travel to the research station, comprehensive travel and medical insurance. The current research station rate varies depending upon length of stay, but includes two vegetarian meals per day six days per week, accommodation, use of project equipment and guides.

The intern fee is taken at a monthly rate. Internships that do not include a full month (e.g. 7.5 months) will apply a weekly rate to the remainder of their stay.

Please note that in order to participate in our research activities, interns must acquire a research permit from the Indonesian Ministry of Research and Technology which has associated costs that the applicants must bear themselves.

For detailed information on our activities, facilities and costs please download our Foreign Volunteer Guide, we recommend reading this guide thoroughly before submitting an application to us.

Application Deadline

Rolling

To apply for one of our intern positions please send a current CV and motivation letter to volunteer@littlefireface.org and we will be in touch.

Your time with LFP will contribute to slow loris conservation and to the local community.