Senior Conservation Breeding Officer (Dartmoor Curlew Recovery)

Wetland conservation, creation and management

About The Role

We are looking for a senior aviculturist to join the Dartmoor Curlew Recovery Project team at Dartmoor National Park to assist in the implementation of a head starting programme for curlew. Dartmoor Curlew Recovery Project is a King Charles III Charitable Fund grant funded project that is aiming to secure the future of breeding curlew on Dartmoor National Park through habitat management, research, supplementing the population through head starting, and engaging local communities. Head starting refers to the bringing of wild laid eggs into captivity where they can be hatched and raised in relative safety and later released back into the wild, in order to boost population numbers. This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking to progress a career in animal management and / or species conservation.

The main function of this post will be to assist in all aspects of the Dartmoor Curlew Recovery project to include egg collecting, incubation, rearing and releases. You will also supervise and support seasonal members of the team in the Lead Aviculturist's absence.

In the absence of the Lead Aviculturist, you will be responsible for the management of staff, project-based staff, students, volunteers and a range of contractors who undertake work on field projects or at the Conservation Breeding facility at Slimbridge.

For the first month of the role, the successful candidate will be based at WWT Slimbridge in Gloucestershire to assist with project preparation and egg collections. From late May / early June you will be based on Dartmoor where the rearing of the Curlew will take place. Accommodation will be provided on Dartmoor but not at Slimbridge.

This is a fixed term full-time position for 5 months, requiring a flexible working pattern of 5 days out of 7, including weekends, public holidays and evenings, to meet the requirements of the post.

About You

Our Senior Conservation Breeding Officer will have a proactive approach with a warm, positive, ‘can do’ attitude, excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively in an ambitious, self-less team.

You will bring :

• a current driving licence so that you can travel to our remote field sites.
• extensive experience in conservation breeding techniques and management of waterbird aviculture which includes experience in the successful incubation of birds’ eggs and the hand raising of hatchlings.
• proven ability to organise, conduct and lead conservation project field activities alone or with colleagues for extended periods (up to four months), including fieldwork in challenging and isolated conditions.
• proven experience of managing and developing small teams of staff and volunteers to ensure that all work is performed to a professional standard and prioritising and resolving issues with a priority focus on animal welfare to ensure bird care is delivered to a high standard daily and work plans are delivered on time.
• experience of working in an environment with stringent hygiene and cleanliness requirements, and following strict biosecurity protocols.
• comprehensive experience in buildings and grounds maintenance, including vegetation management using horticultural machinery.
• experience of liaising with a variety of stakeholders, including suppliers, contractors and funders, and engaging the general public, e.g. giving talks or guided tours.
• good computer skills including competency with Microsoft Office programs, in particular MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

If this sounds like you then click apply, we would love to hear from you.

About Us

We’re WWT, and we’re on a mission to restore the super-powered ecosystems we call wetlands. There’s never been a more important moment for our work, and we’ve got some phenomenal people on the case.

Whether they’re taking a new visitor under their wing, or conducting ground-breaking research further afield, our team are second to none. And there’s nothing we love more than watching them soar.

Whatever you do here, you’ll be helping to restore wetlands and unlock their power. So, the only question left is, what role will you play?

Why you’ll love working at WWT

WWT is an equal opportunities employer and all applications will be considered solely on merit.

Registered Charity Number England & Wales, no 1030884 and Scotland, no SC039410

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