Orkney is famous for its landscape, its history, its culture, and its nature. The Orkney Native Wildlife Project (ONWP) aims to protect Orkney’s unique and globally important wildlife, and the benefits that it provides for local people from an invasive non-native predator: the stoat. Stoats were first reported in Orkney in 2010. They pose a serious threat to the Orkney vole, a species found nowhere else in the world, and many birds including hen harriers, short-eared owls, red-throated divers, waders, and seabirds. This wildlife supports Orkney’s thriving tourism industry, and represents a crucial haven for species which are threatened elsewhere in the UK. It is therefore essential that stoats are removed from Orkney before they do major damage to this unique wildlife.

The project works with hundreds of landowners in the local community to undertake the largest stoat eradication of an inhabited area anywhere in the world. We are implementing comprehensive biosecurity measures alongside the eradication, to reduce the risk of reinvasion and secure a long-term and sustainable legacy for the project. We also conducting wildlife monitoring throughout Orkney to understand the impact that stoats are having, and work with schools and the local community to enable and encourage wildlife conservation! The project is a partnership between RSPB Scotland, NatureScot and Orkney Islands Council, and is generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and EU LIFE and NatureScot, Nature Restoration Fund (NRF).

What's the role about?

We are looking for a Monitoring Officer to lead our work in monitoring native wildlife to understand the impact that invasive non-native stoats are having to Orkney’s unique ecology.  You will be responsible for working with a suite of native species including breeding wading birds, raptors, moorland passerines and the endemic Orkney vole.  Monitoring sites are spread throughout Orkney Mainland and the outer isles.  You will be based in the ONWP Kirkwall office, managing a team of volunteers and a team of seasonal staff in 2024. Maintaining good relationships with local landowners on whose land you will be surveying is paramount, as well as being able to train and enthuse volunteers.

Key activities will include:

• Project development & delivery: Assists in undertaking projects, following an agreed programme of data collection and collation, and may be involved in method development, to contribute to underpinning ONWP objectives
• Management & development of staff and volunteers: Manage, and recruit staff on short contracts to ensure the ONWP Monitoring programme is delivered
• Building effective relationships: Build and maintain effective relationships with landowners and the public; to ensure effective project delivery
• Production of written materials: Analysis of data and production of reports as required to determine the impact of ONWP and stoats on native wildlife
• Building effective internal relationships: Builds effective internal relationships across departments, regions and countries. Through discussions and joint-working with appropriate colleagues, to ensure effective project delivery, acting as a source of informed scientific advice to colleagues across the organisation as required
• Communication to key audiences: Communicates both directly, and indirectly via the Communications team, to key audiences, in order to ensure our conservation science inspires, informs and builds support among key audiences, e.g. through local talks and blog-writing

Essential skills:

• Expected to have a degree in relevant subject or equivalent experience 
• Knowledge of key legal and practical requirements for ensuring the health and safety of staff and volunteers in the field 
• Knowledge of licensing and regulations surrounding fieldwork, for instance on protected species in protected habitats or when surveying people
• Demonstrable practical field skills relevant to the species included in the monitoring programme of the project
• Ability to use own initiative to solve day-to-day problems and work to a defined work plan
• Ability to work in extreme conditions, sometimes for prolonged periods in the field
• Practical scientific skills of a standard that provides the highest quality data with an ability to collate and analyse data sets
• Experience of managing or supporting staff and/or volunteers
• Ability to collate and manipulate data and write technical and popular reports to communicate results to funders, members of the public and other audiences
• Verbal communication skills to develop and maintain good relations with landowners and members of the public
• Skilled use of Microsoft office and ArcGIS, with experience of using GIS packages such as Merlin

This is a Fixed-Term role for 37.5 hours per week until 31st December 2024. For further information please contact info@onwp.org The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

As part of this application process, you will be asked to complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above. Before applying for this role we would recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

The RSPB is a licenced sponsor. This role is eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship.