Wild Deserts Conservation Field Assistant

University of New South Wales; Tibooburra; On-site; AUD 92,000 - 104,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

17% Superannuation

Annual leave loading

Job summary

University of New South Wales – Tibooburra NSW invites applications for a Wild Deserts Conservation Field Assistant. You will support restoration work across vast desert areas, maintain facilities, conduct pest control and assist ecologists with wildlife monitoring and field research.

The role is fixed term for 12 months, full time, based at the Wild Deserts Field Station within Sturt National Park, demanding remote-site conditions and durable collaboration with a multidisciplinary team.

Qualifications

• Equivalent knowledge in rural or conservation land management.
• Experience in land management, fencing, infrastructure maintenance, pest and weed control.
• Demonstrated ability in the maintenance of infrastructure and equipment.
• Current manual driver's license and first aid certificate.
• Licensed or willingness to obtain firearm licence for feral animal control.
• Accredited, or willingness to obtain, accreditation to operate machinery (earthmoving plant, chainsaw).
• Accredited or willingness to obtain accreditation for using poisons or herbicides.
• Experience or understanding of scientific methods and research.
• Proficient computer literacy and accurate record keeping.
• Well-developed interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills.
• Understanding of UNSW aims, objectives and values; relevant policies and guidelines.
• Knowledge of health & safety responsibilities and commitment to training.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate regular checking and maintenance of 50 km of feral exclusion fences.
• Provide upkeep of field station facilities, buildings, vehicles and equipment.
• Conduct pest and weed control and conservation management as programmed.
• Assist ecologists with wildlife research, tracking and remote surveys.
• Maintain basic records using common computer applications.
• Supervise external contractors under manager supervision.
• Work with neighbours, partner staff, students, researchers and contractors.
• Comply with Code of Conduct and health and safety policies.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Written and verbal communication

Record keeping

Education

First aid certificate

Manual driver's license

Firearm licence (licensed or willingness to obtain)

Tools

Earthmoving plant

Chainsaw

Poisons/herbicides accreditation

Job description

Wild Deserts Conservation Field Assistant

University of New South Wales – Tibooburra NSW

Wild Deserts is an ecosystem restoration project in Sturt National Park, far north-west NSW. The project is a partnership between UNSW Sydney, Ecological Horizons and the NSW Government.

The Wild Deserts Conservation Field Officer plays a key role in supporting Wild Deserts’ ecological and restoration project. As part of a multidisciplinary team, the role assists in managing a 35,000 ha area of Strzelecki Desert Dunefields in Sturt National Park, including two 4,000 ha feral free exclosures and a 10,000 ha area intensively managed to supress feral cats for wild releases of threatened fauna. The role is responsible for undertaking a range of critical activities to support the on-ground delivery of the project including infrastructure and visitor facilities maintenance, pest and weed control, ecological data collection and management.

The role is based on site at the Wild Deserts Field Station (at the Fort Grey Homestead Complex) in Sturt National Park, 440 km north of Broken Hill (110 km north-west of Tibooburra). The field station is remote and arid, with low erratic rainfall and high summer temperatures.

About the role

• $92K - $104K plus 17% Superannuation and annual leave loading
• Fixed Term - 12 months
• Full time - 35 hours

The role reports to Wild Deserts Project Coordinator and has no direct reports although may be involved in the direction of casual staff and contractor engagements under manager supervision.

Specific responsibilities for this role include:

• Coordinate regular checking and maintenance of the Wild Deserts feral exclusion fences, totalling 50 km (established new in 2018). Including weekly fence checks, scheduled and reactive maintenance following weather events.
• Provide assistance in the maintenance and upkeep of field station facilities and assets, including buildings, vehicles, tools and equipment.
• Carry out conservation management of vertebrate pest species control (e.g. feral cats, foxes, rabbits, pigs) and weed control, as programmed in the Strategic Adaptive Management Plan.
• Assist the Wild Deserts Principal Ecologist and Field Ecologist roles in ecological and pest control research and monitoring. Examples may include wildlife trapping and monitoring, radio/satellite tracking of wildlife and vertebrate pests, remote camera trap monitoring, drone surveys.
• Maintain and complete basic record keeping, using basic computer programs and applications.
• Working with the Wild Deserts Project Coordinator, provide direction and supervise external contractors providing maintenance and repair services for the site.
• Work constructively with a diverse range of people, including local park neighbours, staff from collaborating organisations, visiting university students, researchers, tourists and contractors during day to day works.
• Align with and actively demonstrate the Code of Conduct and Values.
• Cooperate with all health and safety policies and procedures of the university and take all reasonable care to ensure that your actions or omissions do not impact on the psychosocial or physical health and safety of yourself or others.

Skills and Experience(Selection Criteria)

To be successful in this role you will have:

• An equivalent level of knowledge in rural or conservation land management, gained through any other combination of education, training and/or experience.
• Experience in land management, particularly fencing, infrastructure maintenance, pest and weed control.
• Demonstrated ability in the maintenance of infrastructure and equipment.
• Current manual driver's license and first aid certificate.
• Licensed or willingness to obtain firearm licence (and other accreditations) for feral animal control.
• Accredited, or willingness to obtain, accreditation to operate a range of machinery, equipment and tools (e.g. earthmoving plant, chainsaw, other).
• Accredited or willingness to obtain accreditation for using poisons or herbicides in feral animal or weed control.
• Experience or understanding of scientific methods and research.
• Proficient computer literacy and accurate record keeping.
• Well-developed interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills. Demonstrated experience supporting and contributing to projects and initiatives.
• An understanding of and commitment to UNSW’s aims, objectives and values in action, together with relevant policies and guidelines.
• Knowledge of health & safety (psychosocial and physical) responsibilities and commitment to attending relevant health and safety training.