5.1 Staffing
5.1.1 Staff evolution
5 C APACITY DEVELOPMENT
As stated in Section 3.2.3.1.5, the SAPRI operations management will be characterised by the concept of adaptive management, in the sense that technical personnel may be redistributed across the IFs depending on the stage of the RI life cycle. A greater emphasis and operational support will be dedicated on establishing data management infrastructure and systems for the first 3-5 years, following which human resources will be shifted towards technical operations of research equipment and oversight of data workflows.
SAPRI management staff are allocated to administer the infrastructural unit, build relationships locally, regionally and internationally to work with other polar and marine teams and actively pursue funding initiatives. The team of technicians is structured to maintain and optimise the infrastructure procured through the SAPRI and also assist consortium partners in maintaining existing infrastructure where possible. The Data Centre team will look at all data work across the SAPRI and make the best use of data acquired in an open and freely accessible manner. The Top Predator overwinter team takes the strain off the SANAP Science budget to have to fund these positions and continue the long-term observations made in this field over the past 30+ years. Finally, without substantial administrative support, given the diversity of the consortium and the considerable administrative belabouring from operating with public funds, the SAPRI will not meet its objectives to enhance the current system, and even worse, might just upset the system.
Figure 21 Distribution of staff over the SAPRI life cycle.
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Staff No.
Year
Management Overwinter Team (Marion Is.) Technicians Administrators Data Centre
• • • • •
Extended community
The SAPRI will have a large and diverse extended community that will interface with SAPRI staff at strategic, scientific, technical and policy levels. The wide range of platforms made available and the distributed nature of the LTO IFs will enhance the multi-disciplinary efforts and the large community that collaborates with the SAPRI. The researchers and staff of the LTO IFs will work closely with the SAPRI staff, interlinked with the outreach/citizen science activities and communication. Users interested in data and data products will liaise with the data management platform. The international community will also collaborate with SAPRI staff on science and logistics activities which will include training and research visits.
Managing the data along a data pipeline requires cooperation with data producers to ensure data are deposited in accessible formats with the appropriate metadata. Accessibility of data to a range of data users with different levels of technical skills and resources for managing data needs to be ensured.
Hence, data systems along the data lifecycle need to be developed in consultation with data producers and users.
Shift from national to international focus
SAPRI will inherently be part of the international polar community, as well as part of an international network of Antarctic programmes and LTERs, contributing to GCOS and GOOS observing aims and will be of significant international relevance. SAPRI will contribute not only to national policy but also to international policies and treaties described throughout this document. As the only African country with an Antarctic base, SAPRI will also support the development of polar science on the African continent. It is anticipated that from the onset of SAPRI there will be strong collaborations with other polar institutes.
Deployment of new technology
New internationally developed research technologies will almost certainly become available during the lifetime of the SAPRI, perhaps some even driven through SAPRI. Some innovative local customisation for cost-savings, local circumstances or environmental robustness may well be implemented. However, this will have limited influence on the staff evolution except for any additional training which may be required. In particular, data management is evolving in many of its subcomponents as technologies improve and global efforts at harmonizing data management approaches improve. As such this is a field where staff expect to engage in developing their skills to remain current.
Entering new markets
It is highly likely new fields of study or skill sets will evolve over the next 10 years. If and when new markets become apparent, it will be prudent to assess the implications and possibilities by firstly analysing the external environment and the internal capabilities. Should it be possible to service the market with existing staff, they will be appropriately motivated and skilled for the additional service.
Alternatively, new staff will be added to the SAPRI.
5.1.1.2
5.1.1.3
5.1.1.4
5.1.1.5
Summary of staff evolution
Table 11 Summary of staff evolution over the RI lifecycle.
Life Cycle Stage Activity Type of staff required
Setting up Conceptual design SAPRI co-champions and SAEON Management Team (pre-SAPRI approval by SARIR panel) Technical design
(includes set up of SLAs) SAPRI Management, IF
stakeholders, general technicians of the IFs
Establishment and
construction SAPRI Management,
Overwinterers, Data Centre, Technicians
Commissioning SAPRI Management,
Overwinterers, Data Centre, Technicians
Running Operation SAPRI Management,
Overwinterers, Data Centre, Technicians, Administration
Maintenance SAPRI Management,
Overwinterers, Data Centre, Technicians, Administration Building community SAPRI Management,
Overwinterers, Data Centre, Technicians, Administration Education and Training SAPRI Management,
Overwinterers, Data Centre, Technicians, Administration Upgrading, replacement
and Extension SAPRI Management,
Overwinterers, Data Centre, Technicians, Administration 5.1.1.6
Shutting down Phase out SAPRI Management,
Overwinterers, Data Centre, Technicians, Administration
Decommissioning SAPRI Management,
Overwinterers, Data Centre, Technicians, Administration
Closure SAPRI Management,
Overwinterers, Data Centre, Technicians, Administration
5.1.2 RI relationship with staff