Location
Northern Ireland (remote role, ideally based within Northern Ireland)

Hours
Full Time - 37.5 hours per week

Salary
£40,381 per annum

About the Role
Are you passionate about breeding waders and citizen science? The PeacePlus Nature project will be undertaking two national scale breeding wader surveys over 2027 and 2028, involving significant volunteer engagement and citizen science. We are seeking a wader scientist to help design and deliver these surveys, providing scientific evidence to the PeacePlus Nature Programme. This role offers a unique opportunity to advance wader conservation science in Northern Ireland and Ireland.

This position is a Conservation Scientist (Wader Surveys) role within the PeacePlus Nature Programme, an ambitious €20.8 million initiative uniting nine partners to address the decline of priority species and habitats in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. The programme is funded by PEACEPLUS, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), and supported by the European Union, the UK Government, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland administration.

You will collaborate with RSPB colleagues across conservation science, ecology, and reserves departments, as well as PeacePlus partners in Northern Ireland and Ireland. You will lead and manage a small, dedicated team of wader surveyors to develop and deliver national scale breeding wader surveys and training to grow the volunteer base. You will maintain and develop external collaborations, collate and analyse evidence on breeding wader status and trends, and present results to internal and external audiences, especially survey participants.

The role involves year-round fieldwork in Northern Ireland alongside home or home/office-based desk work. The post is fixed term for 33 months initially, with the possibility of extension depending on external funding. The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent based on business needs at the end of the contract term.

Experience
- Ornithological research experience: PhD in a relevant subject or a Masters degree with 3-5 years of demonstrable experience in ornithological research, including applied or field-based projects. Equivalent experience gained through professional, voluntary, or community science work is welcomed.
- Breeding wader survey and data skills: Knowledge of breeding wader survey methods, data-collection design, and data analysis from scientific or conservation projects. Transferable experience from other bird or ecological survey work is accepted.
- Citizen science survey knowledge: Understanding of citizen-science survey approaches, including strengths and constraints, and experience contributing to data-collection design and analysis.
- Data analysis and scientific reporting: Ability to analyse ecological or ornithological data using appropriate statistical methods and present results clearly in reports, publications, or other scientific outputs. Experience contributing to peer-reviewed papers is beneficial but not essential.
- Volunteer-based fieldwork logistics: Experience managing access, logistics, and practical arrangements for volunteer-based fieldwork in remote or challenging locations, with awareness of health, safety, and ethical considerations.
- Project management: Ability to plan, coordinate, and deliver projects effectively, meeting deadlines and adapting plans as needed.
- Volunteer and partner engagement: Ability to engage, motivate, and support volunteers and partners, and communicate scientific information clearly to both technical and non-specialist audiences.
- IT and GIS capability: Confident user of IT systems (e.g., Microsoft Office, email platforms) and able or willing to learn GIS tools.
- Travel to field sites: Able to travel reliably to field sites. A full UK/Ireland driving licence is helpful but alternative transport solutions or reasonable adjustments can be considered.

About you
You are committed to developing your expertise in breeding wader survey science and have a passion for conservation and citizen science. You are motivated, organised, and able to work both independently and collaboratively within a team. You communicate effectively with diverse audiences and are adaptable to the demands of field and desk-based work.

Qualifications
PhD or Masters degree in a relevant subject with significant ornithological research experience, or equivalent professional, voluntary, or community science experience demonstrating the required skills and knowledge.