Field Officer

Do you enjoy working outdoors and would you like to directly contribute to environmental
improvements in the Flow Country in Scotland? We are looking for a Field Officer to help
facilitate preparation for the delivery of peatland restoration at RSPB Forsinard Flows.

Vast swathes of important peatland habitats cover the Flow Country. Supporting many special
species of upland wading birds, such as golden plovers, dunlins and greenshank, these important
areas need to be protected and improved. We have ambitious plans to restore and improve large
areas of peatland.

About the Role

We are looking for a Field Officer to help facilitate preparation for the delivery of peatland
restoration at the RSPB Forsinard Flows. The roles will cover a range of outdoor activities,
that will deliver this important work. The role consists of helping our restoration team to map
and ground truth the next sections of potential work, and helping to meet essential report
deadlines to satisfy our funding obligations. The role will be responsible for covering large
areas to map features and gather much-needed information for our restoration team to use in
reports and applications.

About RSPB Forsinard Flows

RSPB Forsinard Flows is set in the heart of the internationally recognised Flow Country of
Caithness and Sutherland. Not only is the Flow Country the most intact and extensive blanket
bog in Europe, it hosts an ecosystem unique within the UK. The Forsinard Flows reserve
encompasses over 21,000 Ha of the Flow Country where the RSPB have been working for over 25
years to preserve and promote healthy peatlands (alongside other habitats such as riparian and
montane woodland), whilst repairing the damage done to this ecosystem from controversial
afforestation in the 1970s and 1980s.

The reserve boundary encompasses multiple designated sites including SSSI’s, SPAs and the UK’s
largest terrestrial SAC. As a result, the Forsinard Flows team are responsible for conserving,
promoting, and monitoring a variety of rare and vulnerable habitats and species. The Flow
Country is a candidate to become a World Heritage Site as a globally rare peatland.

The Flows Field Centre is rural and remote, being about 2.5 hours from the RSPB regional office
in Inverness. If you enjoy the outdoors and can take direction, we would love to hear from you.
A fulfilling role that will make a direct contribution to environmental improvements awaits!

What we need from you

Essentials:

• Knowledge of peatland habitats to enable credibility in the role.
• Knowledge of delivery mechanisms for peatland conservation work e.g. Peatland Action Fund
• Organisational skills e.g. maintenance and analysis of datasets, and managing conflicting
  priorities.
• Ability to work effectively as a team player both internally and externally.
• Effective communication skills (verbal, written and presentational) – including an ability
  to speak confidently and cogently to a variety of audiences.
• Experience of working to survey, protect and/or manage important sites or habitats.
• Ability to work in extreme conditions, sometimes for prolonged periods in the field
• Ability to be self-motivated and work efficiently within a defined workplan

Desirables:

• Experience of collecting and collating datasets.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office apps and experience of GIS for mapping
• Knowledge of the wildlife and habitats of the operational area of this role.
• Experience of managing volunteers and setting clear work priorities

This is a 8 month fixed-term role for 37.5 hours per week. 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.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 26th July 2024. For further
information please contact – [email protected] 

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.

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 the Rehabilitation of
Offenders Act 1974.

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship – the successful applicant will need to have
a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

Please note that we are actively recruiting for this vacancy and reserve the right to
close once sufficient applications have been received.