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Field
Officer

Location: Odisha (Ganjam District), Field-based role with regular village travel.

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Employment: ​Full-time; 12 months with possible extension based on programme continuation and performance.

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Salary: ₹30,000–45,000 per month.​​​​

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Apply here.​

About Fish Welfare Initiative India Foundation

Fish Welfare Initiative India Foundation works to improve the welfare of farmed fishes in India by deeply understanding the realities of fish farming and directly supporting farmers. We aim to do this by delivering hands-on services to smallholder aquaculture farmers to enable practical, welfare-focused improvements.

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About the Role

As a Field Officer, you will be the primary point of contact for smallholder fish farmers in your designated district and will be responsible for running an aquaculture advisory centre.

 

You will balance routine advisory services, data collection, and farmer support. This is a field-intensive role requiring approximately 80% of your time in villages and on farms, with the remaining time dedicated to documentation.
 

Key Responsibilities

1. Field Implementation & Advisory Support

  • Manage and operate a village-level aquaculture advisory centre that serves local fish farmers.

  • Conduct regular water quality testing—including dissolved oxygen, pH, ammonia, and temperature—and communicate results and recommendations to farmers in practical, actionable terms.

  • Offer on-site and remote advisory support to help farmers adopt welfare-focused practices.

  • Conduct routine farm visits to observe conditions, diagnose issues, and track progress.

 

2. Farmer Engagement & Relationship Building

  • Recruit, onboard, and maintain strong relationships with participating smallholder farmers.

  • Communicate clearly in local language(s) during consultations and follow-ups.

  • Support farmer learning through hands-on demonstrations, group training sessions, and individual coaching tailored to each farmer's existing knowledge and constraints.

 

3. Data & Documentation

  • Record water quality data, recommendations, and adoption outcomes.

  • Support ongoing monitoring and evaluation by collecting accurate field data for internal reports and program assessment.

  • Contribute to programme learning by documenting implementation challenges, farmer feedback, and adaptation opportunities, enabling evidence-based programme refinement.
     

Ideal Candidate Profile

Education

  • Bachelor's degree in Aquaculture, Fisheries Science, Animal Science, Biology, Geology, Environmental Science, or a related field. 

  • Master's degree holders are welcome but not required.

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Experience

  • 1–3 years of experience in field-based agriculture or aquaculture work.

  • Experience working directly with smallholder farmers is strongly preferred.

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Skills & Competencies

  • Strong field advisory and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts in accessible terms.

  • Familiarity with basic water quality testing tools and indicators—including dissolved oxygen meters, pH testing, and ammonia measurement—is expected.

  • Candidates should be comfortable learning to operate portable testing equipment, whether digital meters or chemical titration methods, and interpreting results for farmer guidance.

  • You should be comfortable working independently in rural settings with frequent travel across your designated district, sometimes at short notice in response to farmer emergencies such as sudden mortality events or water quality crises.

  • Fluency in Odia is essential; working knowledge of Telugu is preferred, and English proficiency sufficient for internal reporting and documentation is required.

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Personal Attributes

  • Self-motivated and reliable, with the capacity to manage your own schedule and priorities in a dynamic field environment where unexpected challenges arise regularly.​

  • Strong interpersonal skills with respect, patience, and genuine curiosity about the lives and constraints facing the farming communities you serve.

  • Empathy for farmers and a sincere interest in animal welfare—you should care about whether the advice you provide actually improves conditions for fish, not just about meeting activity targets.​
     

What Success Looks Like

By the end of your first year, a successful Field Officer will have:

  • Established and operating a fully functional advisory centre serving 20-25 farmers with regular water quality testing and consultation services

  • Built trusted relationships with participating farmers, demonstrated through repeat service utilisation and positive feedback

  • Responded effectively to farmer emergencies and urgent consultations

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Working Conditions & Compensation

Working Conditions

  • Full-time, field-based role; must live in/near assigned district in Ganjam, Odisha.

  • 5 days/week based at a fixed village advisory centre with farm visits and coordination.

  • Significant in-district travel, primarily by two-wheeler.

  • Outdoor work in varied weather; regular interaction with fish ponds and aquaculture systems.

  • Reporting to the Project Manager.

 

Compensation

  • Salary: ₹30,000–45,000 per month.

  • Travel allowance provided for field work.

  • Contract: 12 months (June 2026–June 2027), with possible extension based on programme continuation and performance.
     

Application Details

Interested candidates should apply here by May 24, 2026.

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