Soil Sampling Technician

RPS; Derry/Londonderry; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading environmental consultancy is seeking Soil Sampling Technicians to join their team in Northern Ireland. The role involves independent fieldwork in rural environments, collecting soil samples, and utilizing mobile technology for navigation. Candidates should have experience working outdoors in winter conditions, a valid driving license, and the ability to work at least 3 weekdays. Competitive hourly rate of £12.75 plus travel expenses.

Benefits

Travel expenses for personal vehicle use

Potential bonuses

Qualifications

• Must specify experience working outdoors in winter weather conditions in application.
• Must have full driving license and access to personal vehicle.
• Willingness to work at least 3 full weekdays.

Responsibilities

• Represent the company professionally and respect landowner properties.
• Follow instructions and use digital maps for navigation.
• Conduct soil sampling properly and maintain equipment.

Skills

Experience working outdoors in winter weather conditions

Full driving license

Experience using a smartphone

Job description

The Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS) was launched by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and managed by Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI). It is a four-year, £37m initiative aimed at improving soil nutrient health and estimating farm carbon stocks across Northern Ireland. The scheme involves collecting soil samples from approximately 700,000 agricultural fields.

RPS has been contracted by AFBI to undertake soil sampling from 2022 to 2026, with peak sampling during winter months (November to January). We are seeking Soil Sampling Technicians to join our team. These roles involve working in rural agricultural environments, primarily in Zone 4, with some roles in Zone 3 (refer to location map on page 4). Work will often be lone working, and training, equipment, and personal protective gear will be provided.

Role Overview

Each technician will be part of a team led by an RPS Team Leader but will work independently in the field. You will use a rugged mobile device with the Arc Field Maps app to navigate to assigned fields, collect at least 32 soil samples per field along a W-shaped transect, and record GPS data. Proper labeling and bagging of samples are essential, and photographic evidence must be provided if sampling is unsuccessful.

Responsibilities

• Represent RPS professionally and respect landowner properties.
• Follow instructions from the Team Leader and use digital maps for navigation.
• Participate in training sessions for equipment and app usage.
• Conduct soil sampling according to training procedures, walking approximately 15 km daily.
• Record GPS locations, bag, and label samples accurately.
• Maintain equipment and plan sampling activities efficiently.
• Communicate regularly with team members and landowners, providing support and feedback as needed.

Skills and Qualifications

• Experience working outdoors in all winter weather conditions (please specify in application).
• Full driving license and access to a personal vehicle.
• Willingness to work at least 3 full weekdays (Monday-Friday).
• Experience using a smartphone.

Additional Information

Salary: £12.75 per hour plus travel expenses for personal vehicle use and potential bonuses.