Field Ecologist - Science and Knowledge - Nature Foundation

Hender Consulting; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Nature Foundation in Adelaide is seeking a Field Ecologist to design and deliver ecological monitoring across reserves and partner sites, contributing to the Science Strategy and Biodiversity Monitoring Program. The role suits a research‑minded ecologist who is comfortable in remote fieldwork and can translate data into practical conservation guidance.

You will work with land managers, universities and Traditional Owners, with strong field survey skills, experience with R and GIS, and a current

Qualifications

• PhD in ecology or related discipline or postgraduate qualification with demonstrated research outputs
• Strong field survey skills including fauna trapping, camera traps, acoustic monitoring and vegetation survey
• Experience analyzing ecological data with R and GIS
• Ability to work autonomously and in a team, and communicate with scientific and general audiences
• A current driver’s licence and off-road 4WD experience are essential
• Experience in SA ecosystems and working with Traditional Owners on Country desirable

Responsibilities

• Designing and delivering research on priority knowledge gaps, focusing on the drivers of ecosystem condition and how species and habitats respond to management
• Implementing and refining the Biodiversity Monitoring Program, including survey delivery, protocols, QA/QC and data management, and reporting under offset, grant and heritage agreements
• Analyzing and interpreting data, and turning it into practical advice for reserve managers on fire, feral animals, weed and grazing management
• Publishing peer‑reviewed papers, technical reports and plain‑English summaries, and communicating the science to supporters and the public
• Building research partnerships with universities, government and Traditional Owners, and coordinating volunteers, students and contractors safely in the field

Job description

UNDERSTAND WHAT DRIVES 500,000 HECTARES OF SA RESERVES

Nature Foundation is a not-for-profit, apolitical organisation that conserves, restores and protects South Australian landscapes, flora and fauna. It has contributed to protecting more than 1.15 million hectares of South Australia, owns and manages over 500,000 hectares across ten reserves, and is the third-largest non-government conservation land manager in Australia.

Nature Foundation's reserves stretch from the arid rangelands of Witchelina and Hiltaba to wetlands on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The Science and Knowledge team seek to understand what drives the condition of these places – climate variability, fire, total grazing pressure and introduced predators – and understand what impact management measures make. A rare opportunity has emerged for a Field Ecologist to help answer those questions and turn the answers into better conservation management. The position will suit a research-minded ecologist who is at home in the field, can work safely in remote country, and wants their science to shape how land is managed.

Reporting to the Science and Knowledge Program Manager, the Field Ecologist designs and delivers ecological monitoring and research across Nature Foundation’s reserves and partner sites. The role is a core contributor to the Nature Foundation Biodiversity Monitoring Program and to delivering the Science Strategy and Strategic Plan: Towards 2030. Specific responsibilities include:

• designing and delivering research on priority knowledge gaps, focusing on the drivers of ecosystem condition and how species and habitats respond to management;
• implementing and helping to refine the Biodiversity Monitoring Program, including survey delivery, protocols, QA/QC and data management, and reporting under offset, grant and heritage agreements;
• analysing and interpreting data, and turning it into practical advice for reserve managers on fire, feral animal, weed and grazing management;
• publishing peer-reviewed papers, technical reports and plain-English summaries, and communicating the science to supporters and the public;
• building research partnerships with universities, government and Traditional Owners, and coordinating volunteers, students and contractors safely in the field.

The successful candidate will have a PhD in ecology or a related discipline, or a relevant postgraduate qualification with demonstrated research outputs, and experience planning and delivering field-based ecological projects that have produced scientific outputs. Strong field survey skills (such as fauna trapping, handling and identification, camera traps, acoustic monitoring and vegetation survey), together with, the ability to analyse complex ecological data using R or similar and GIS are pivotal. The Field Ecologist must be able to work well autonomously and in a team, communicate clearly with scientific and general audiences, and build strong relationships with land managers and partners. A current driver's licence and off-road 4WD experience are essential. Experience in South Australian ecosystems, working under scientific permits and animal ethics approvals, working with Traditional Owners on Country, a peer-reviewed publication record, and remote area first aid are all highly desirable.

The role is based at Nature Foundation’s Prospect office in Adelaide, with regular multi-day fieldwork on reserves, including remote reserves. Fieldwork can involve small or isolated teams, extreme heat or cold, rough terrain, lifting and carrying equipment, and 4WD driving on unsealed roads. A pre-employment medical assessment may be required, and a current Working with Children Check (or willingness to obtain one) is required.

This is a truly exciting opportunity to use science to guide conservation at landscape scale.

For more reserve information, Nature Foundation - Nature Reserves