Seasonal Nature Reserve Officer – North Highland

NatureScot seeks a Seasonal Nature Reserve Officer for the North Highland region to manage National Nature Reserves, ensuring visitor safety and quality experiences. Responsibilities include maintenance tasks, visitor engagement, habitat management, and monitoring. Candidates should be physically fit, enjoy outdoor work in various conditions, and possess a full driving license. The position involves working primarily at Knockan Crag and Loch Fleet NNRs, with occasional duties at other reserves.
Job Purpose Summary

This is an exceptional opportunity to be part of a team which manages our National Nature Reserves (NNRs) in the Scottish Highlands.

NatureScot’s National Nature Reserves showcase the best of Scottish nature, landscapes and geology. Our aim is to protect, restore and value nature and our NNRs provide the opportunity for people to experience, enjoy and learn about nature. This position will play an important role in ensuring our NNRs are safe, offer a quality visitor experience, and help to deliver our management plan objectives for a nature rich future.

Post holders will also be expected to occasionally work at other NatureScot National Nature Reserves in the Highland area.

We are looking for friendly and enthusiastic people who can work in a team to get tasks done and are committed to a future career in nature conservation. This post involves practical and often physically demanding outdoor work and so requires a good level of physical fitness and willingness to work outdoors in all conditions all year.

This post will primarily cover two NNRs; Knockan Crag NNR and Loch Fleet NNR, which creates a huge variety of species, habitats and interest. Knockan Crag showcases 3 billion years of geological history and holds the key to an amazing story of colliding continents and scientific intrigue. Set in the spectacular landscape of North-west Sutherland this is a popular tourist and motorhome stopping point. Loch Fleet packs in a huge diversity of habitats creating a home for a wide range of species, many of which are nationally rare.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities
• Ensure NNRs are safe and accessible for visitors and report any issues to the NNR manager.
• Speaking to visitors to ensure they have a responsible and quality experience on the NNR and encourage compliance with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code recommending a ‘leave no trace’ ethic.
• Engage with campervan users and encourage responsible overnight parking.
• Assist NNR staff with practical maintenance and management duties including clearing litter, path work, fencing, INNS removal, maintenance of visitor facilities and maintenance of reserve equipment and infrastructure.
• Check and maintain the promoted footpaths on the NNRs.
• Check and maintain visitor facilities at Knockan Crag including the rock room and public toilets.
• Scrub control on protected dune habitats & non-native tree removal (hand tools)
• To assist staff when required with the NNR events, education and walks programme.
• Habitat and species management – develop skills in practical habitat and species management.
• Undertake species and habitat monitoring & recording.
• Assist with volunteers.
• Keep local information up to date in discussion with NNR manager, through signage, notice boards or through social media.
• Occasional work assisting Beinn Eighe NNR, and other satellite sites in Caithness & Sutherland when required.
• Follow NatureScot’s Health and Safety procedures when carrying out the above tasks. This will include lone working, risk assessment, H&S reporting and other procedures as directed by the NNR Manager.

Skills (Please refer to these in your Supporting Statement)
• Full driving licence or other means of transport
• Willingness to work outdoors in all conditions, and to be safe when working alone in remote situations.
• Good understanding of access responsibilities in the Highlands, and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
• Demonstrated people skills and enthusiasm to work both as part of a small team and on your own.
• An interest in and a basic understanding of habitats & species in Scotland and their associated management.
• Be flexible, willing to tackle any task and be able to use your own initiative to complete practical outdoor tasks.

Prerequisites Required
• Proof of right to work in UK
• To undertake a Disclosure Scotland application.
• Although Gaelic language is not a prerequisite it is a desirable skill in support of our commitment to our Gaelic Language Plan

Working with NatureScot – What we offer you

Please visit https://www.nature.scot/about-naturescot/working-and-volunteering-us/what-we-offer-you for information regarding some great benefits to reward and support you whilst you are working for us.

NatureScot’s Net Zero commitment

Whether working at home or in an office, or travelling to meetings and site visits, as a NatureScot you will contribute to our Net Zero plan, for example through positive carbon travel choices. You will aim to minimise travel in accordance with NatureScot’s low carbon operating procedures. However, you will, in some circumstances, be expected to work with colleagues and stakeholders from across Scotland, which will involve some travel and may involve overnight stays.

Application Process

Application is by CV and Supporting Statement. Please ensure you have attached these documents when submitting your application.

Before applying for this post;
• Internal applicants should read the Self Service Guide (eRDMS A3155575)
• External applicants should read the Online Job Application Guide

If you have previously applied for a vacancy with NatureScot you must remove the supporting statement from your profile, before uploading a new version.

Interviews

External candidates will be invited to interview if we are unable to recruit internally.

For information regarding the post please contact:

Please contact Ian Sargent, Nature Reserve Manager

Email: ian.sargent@nature.scot Tel: 07726 957335

For information regarding the recruitment process please contact:

recruitment@nature.scot

Nature is vital to us all, so it’s important that NatureScot represents the people of Scotland. The more diverse our workforce is, the more effectively we can connect everyone with nature. We encourage applications from candidates of all ages and genders, people from ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community.