Research Assistants | Uplands Research Group | Eggleston, Co. Durham

• Research Assistants – Uplands Research Group
• Contract: Paid, full time,
• Duration: Initial five-year contracts 
• Location: Office based in Eggleston, Co. Durham
• Salary: £18 – 25k, dependent on experience
• Benefits: 10% employer contribution to pension

About us

Our Upper Teesdale offices situated in the North Pennines of northern England is a base for research and monitoring of many aspects on upland ecology, with the primary focus being the conservation and management of upland gamebirds, waders, moorland raptors and their breeding habitats. Currently the Trust employs nine staff and students based in our offices in the grounds of Eggleston Hall near Barnard Castle.

The position

This is an opportunity to work within a small team of conservation biologists dedicated to wildlife management and habitat restoration within the English uplands. The post-holders will assist in delivering a varied programme of work that will include studies of population dynamics and habitat use amongst moorland birds, including counts of both red and black grouse and their intestinal parasites that will continue our long-term datasets which began in the 1980s. The posts will also include assisting with long-term field experiments that consider the roles of heather burning and cutting on the vegetation, hydrology and invertebrate communities of blanket peat and the impacts of heather beetle on ericaceous swards. We seek to appoint two highly motivated and enthusiastic person to work alongside existing staff, moorland managers and upland farmers to not only help run current projects, but also to support the development of a range of new initiatives.

The positions both have strong field elements, especially during the period March to August and there is an expectation that candidates will be physically fit and mentally able to conduct field tasks often unsupervised in sometimes difficult field conditions and terrain. For one post, there is an expectation for the postholder to acquire and maintain a small team of working pointing dogs to survey upland gamebirds, especially red grouse. Support and guidance over dogs will be given by existing staff. The dogs will be purchased by the Trust and a monthly allowance provided for their upkeep. Training will be provided in all field survey methods.

Required skills

• Good level of fitness for outdoor fieldwork activities
• Ornithological, entomological, and/or botanical field skills
• Willingness and suitability to keep and work pointing dogs (one post only)
• Excellent communication and people skills
• Attention to detail and scientific rigour

Preferred skills

• Good IT skills with experience of Microsoft excel and GIS software
• British Trust for Ornithology licensed bird ringer 

A further job and person specification is on our website.

https://www.gwct.org.uk/about/careers/research-assistants-uplands/ 

To apply 

Please submit your covering letter and CV by email to Leah Cloonan, Uplands Team Support

Officer, lcloonan@gwct.org.uk

Closing date for applications:  Friday, 27^th May 2022

Job Description

• Research Assistant Job Descriptions