Project Officer - The Curlews Call

RSPB; Wales; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

An environmental conservation organization based in North Wales is seeking a Conservation Project Leader to oversee habitat monitoring and management interventions for curlew populations. The role involves leading a team of volunteers and collaborating with local stakeholders to ensure effective conservation efforts. An ideal candidate will have a BSc in ecology or a related field and experience in ecological monitoring, along with strong team management skills.

Qualifications

• Experience leading ecological monitoring, specifically ornithological surveys.
• Competent IT user including Outlook and ArcGIS.
• Ability to communicate complex ideas to a wide audience.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of volunteers for monitoring and survey work.
• Manage habitat restoration work to aid curlew breeding.
• Engage with local farmers and stakeholders.

Skills

Ecological monitoring

Team management

Communication skills

Time management

Adaptability

Education

BSc in ecology or related field

Tools

ArcGIS

MS Office

Job description

Overview

Reference: SEP20251539
Location: North Wales Moors
Terms: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week, Fixed-Term until March 2028 (28 months)
Salary: £27,123.00 - £28,956.00 Per Annum

An exciting opportunity to work at the forefront of conservation, in the dramatic and beautiful landscape of the North Wales Moors. Overlooking the Eryri National Park, working alongside a dedicated project team to monitor the curlew throughout the breeding season, and deliver conservation interventions to try and curb the decline.

The Curlews Call is a Nature Networks funded project (a government fund administered by the Heritage Lottery). The project area covers over 7000 hectares of rolling moorland and farmland, an area which is home to one of the highest densities of breeding curlew in England and Wales. With breeding populations of curlew having declined by over 77% since 1995, this stronghold population needs serious conservation intervention to avoid local extinction.

Role context

This role focuses on delivering key conservation interventions across the project landscape. You will be leading a team of volunteers to help carry out vital monitoring and survey work. This will include training, workshops, and a good level of team organisation. Previous curlew projects in the area have developed close working relationships with local groups. Engaging with local farmers, partners, and stakeholders will be key.

Responsibilities

• Interventions during the breeding season include:
• Making use of camera traps
• Nest finding & nest fencing
• Chick monitoring
• Predator monitoring

• Outside of the breeding season
• Habitat management
• Restoration work to benefit all habitats used by curlew throughout their breeding cycle.

Essential qualifications

• At least BSc or equivalent in an ecology or conservation related subject
• Good understanding of wader ecology and conservation
• Experience leading and carrying out ecological monitoring (specifically ornithological surveys and camera trapping)
• Some understanding of relevant agri-environment schemes, and their impact on conservation habitat management
• Competent IT user including MS packages, Outlook, ArcGIS (or other mapping software)
• Ability to communicate complex ideas to a wide range of audiences
• Work well under pressure
• Adaptable and changeable in challenging circumstances
• Time management and organisational skills
• Experience working with contractors and farmers for habitat management or restoration
• Experience managing groups of volunteers, delivering training and guiding them through field tasks
• Report writing and data manipulation
• Experience within a cross-functional project team and alongside stakeholders
• Full, manual driving licence that is valid in the UK

Closing

Closing: Friday 17th October

How to apply

To complete your application online please apply via the provided link.