Raul Zabala

Background

About Raul Zabala

I consider myself to be an interdisciplinary field biologist with a strong drive for environmental/conservation/education-driven positions. My skillset makes me a very reliable field biologist, with strong data analysis and report writing capacities, both in English and Spanish. I can work independently, but I would rather be part of a larger team to share ideas with. I am a creative person with the capacity of analyzing a situation, isolate the problem/question, and elaborate a plan to remediate it. I have experience with starting projects, both the theoretical framework and the experimental part associated, as well as the data analysis required to answer the question. I have some experience in grant applications and fund searching. My field experience is extensive, both in the tropics and at high latitudes. I have experience working on land and in the ocean. I have faced many different and unexpected problems in remote areas, and I have proved that I can work around these problems. Specifically, I have experience in seabird and cetacean ecology. This includes species identification, tagging, sample collection. I have been in charge of getting teams and equipment into remote places, both by 4x4 cars and boats. I can lift heavy equipment, and organize the set of a field station. I can captain boats, and also be an efficient crew member. My last achievement has been getting a grad student position at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, where I have expanded my skillset enormously. Now I am a confident R user, and an ven more confident field biologist. I have set up cabins with solar panels in remote areas, brought myself and my team to remote colonies for days, get the job done, and bring everyone back safely. I have started my own master's project from scratch (assessing the breeding success of Atlantic puffin in Newfoundland) and made it into a successful project. Overall, I am a solid worker, both in the field and in the office. I am fluent in both English and Spanish, and I can have a conversation in Portuguese and Italian. I am easy to get along with, and I like to get my job done, and done well.