Paid Scientist: Ecologist (Seabirds and Island Biosecurity) (Scotland)
The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) is hiring an ecologist to carry out a list of high priority research, operational work, and communications projects to progress NTS’s seabird conservation actions across its seabird sites. Deadline to apply: February 25, 2024.
Agency/Organization: National Trust for Scotland
Location: Balnain House, various NTS seabird places
Website: Click here
Job Description: This role enables the delivery of high priority projects which, together, deliver the Seabird and Island Biosecurity actions in NTS’s “Plan for Nature”. These projects are the prioritised list of work for which NTS has identified a critical need to conserve its seabirds and garner wider societal support while we do so. The role fills both skill and capacity gaps in our current workforce by providing a flexible mobile team to carry out operational, research and communication work across our seabird places.
Key responsibilities and accountabilities: The post-holder will:
- Carry out a list of high priority research, operational work and communications projects to progress NTS’s seabird conservation actions across its seabird sites. These include our work to recover seabirds affected by avian influenza, research to understand how to manage visitor pressure on seabirds, citizen science methods to monitor seabirds, developing new technology to improve biosecurity on seabird islands, and specific work on NTS’s identified priority species: Leach’s storm petrel, Fulmar, Puffin, Razorbill, European storm petrel and Great Skua.
- Present work in clear, accurate, scientifically robust, engaging and timely ways so that conservation evidence can be fast-tracked for use in managing our sites and garnering wider societal support for seabird conservation.
- Liaise frequently with the wider seabird ‘community of interest’ at NTS (The senior seabird officer, nature conservation team, rangers, operations managers, marine policy colleagues, communication and fundraising staff) to share information about your work and capture their input into it.
- Demonstrate the highest standards of welfare for wild seabird populations while collecting data to inform their conservation.
- Work to agreed standard operating procedures while working in island and clifftop environments.
Qualifications:
Essential
- A current BTO ringing licence.
Desirable
- PhD, Master’s or equivalent experience in a professional seabird research or conservation role.
- A current BTO ringing licence which includes an endorsement to catch and ring adult seabirds.
- Driving Licence, valid for driving within the UK.
Experience:
Essential
- Experience delivering high quality, robust, research projects in a previous professional role.
- Experience managing data from collection through to analysis.
- Experience writing scientific reports.
- Ability to work safely in clifftop environments or steep terrain.
- Ability to live on remote islands, including in tents, sometimes for more than 2 weeks at a time.
- Positive attitude towards travelling around some of Scotland’s remotest seabird islands, including an ability to plan the logistics of doing so.
- Experience communicating your work to a variety of audiences.
Desirable
- Demonstrable knowledge of invasive non-native predators on seabird islands.
- Experience tracking and/or blood sampling wild birds.
- Experience managing and/or working alongside volunteers.
Dimensions and Scope of Job:
Scale
- The role will take place across many of NTS’s seabird islands and mainland sites which may include St Kilda, Mingulay, Pabbay, Berneray, Canna, Fair Isle, Unst, St Abbs Head, Staffa, The Treshnish Isles, Iona and its Islets and the Murray Isles, as well as spells in an NTS office, preferably Balnain House in Inverness, but could be elsewhere in Scotland. Some working from home is also acceptable.
- It is anticipated that the post, which is a fixed-term 18 month contract, will cover a seabird breeding season, then office-based work over the winter and then a second seabird breeding season.
People Management
- The post holder will be managed by the Senior Seabird officer who is based in the West Highlands operational team in the NTS Highlands an Islands region, though the post holder will have a national remit. The post holder may manage up to one member of staff and may work alongside volunteers. The Senior Seabird Officer also works closely with the wider NTS Nature Conservation team and so the post holder will also have links to that team.
- The post holder will work closely with site managers and ranger teams on specific sites.
- The post holder will liaise with marine policy colleagues to feed into and respond to NTS’s wider seabird policy and advocacy work.
- The post holder will support the fundraising teams in reporting back to funders on the work they do, and communications colleagues to share our work and engage a wide diversity of audiences.
Finance Management
- This role will not be a budget holder but has delegated oversight of day-to-day T&S and minor equipment budget as part of their work.
Tools / equipment / systems
- Specialist bird handling or biological sampling equipment may be used.
- EBCU is the Essential business car user scheme. This provides an annual allowance to assist with financing and maintaining your own vehicle so that it is fit for business use. This is not intended to cover the full cost of financing and maintaining the vehicle. You will also be able to make an expenses claim for each business mile travelled (paid at EBCU rate).
Wage: Grade 3 Upper (£27,834 to £30,750), plus EBCU £3,800 p/year
To apply: Click here for information on how to apply. Interested applicants should forward their Curriculum Vitae (CV) or an Application Form to the People Services Department (Applications) by email via workforus@nts.org.uk, by Sunday 25th February 2024.
Please ensure your CV includes your full name and contact details, the CV file sent to us should be titled your first initial and surname. When submitting your CV please state the position and job location of the vacancy you are applying for in the subject title or body of your email: For example “Gardener – Culzean”.
Application Deadline: February 25, 2024
Start Date: April 2024
Contact: Click here for more information
