Estate Worker - Aylesbeare Common

We are looking for an Estate Worker to join the highly dynamic team on the 240 million year old, East Devon Pebblebed Heaths, we are expecting to have someone on board who is competent in estate work, livestock knowledge, tractor work and experience in woodland/ forestry, someone who has a key eye for details in respects of maintenance and estate tasks.

Aylesbeare common has been an RSPB nature reserve for nearly 50 years, it sits on the northern edge of the East Devon Pebblebed ridge, a 1200Ha National Nature Reserve, managed in partnership with East Devon Pebblebed Heaths conservation trust, RSPB and the Devon Wildlife Trust. The site team now manages heathland for other landowners and has an ambitious countryside stewardship agreement covering multiple sites, the role is very varied and no two days will be the same, livestock grazing, woodland management, boundary maintenance and working with volunteers would all be in the mix for a day on the reserve. 

Your main objectives will be to assist in delivering the habitat management objectives for the heathlands and associated habitats on our reserves, staying on top of the Health and Safety requirements associated with this work and supporting the reserve staff. 

You will be involved in the use and maintenance of machinery such as tractors & implements, chainsaws & sprayers, work planning and record-keeping. You will work closely with the warden, assistant warden, residential volunteers and midweek work party volunteers. 

You will have a keen interest and knowledge of wildlife and land management with a proven practical skill set. You will be able to work well as part of a team and independently when required, as well as coping with the physical demands of the role in a variety of habitats and weather conditions.

You may be required to work occasional weekends and bank holidays.

Key areas of work will include:

• Undertaking livestock checks and assisting with the welfare of livestock to ensure we meet all animal welfare and cross compliance legislation.
• Maintenance of livestock infrastructure to ensure they are operating as required.
• Routine operation, servicing and maintenance of machinery and vehicles to ensure they are operating safely and efficiently.
• Habitat management to ensure conservation and stewardship targets are being met.
• Keeping up to date health and safety records to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations and to enable improvements to be set.
• Build collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders including colleagues, graziers, neighbours, volunteers and contractors.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Operating and maintaining vehicles, machinery, tools and equipment to agreed standards.
• Appreciate intricacies of grazing livestock on large scale sites, boundary maintenance and handling facilities
• Understanding of conservation delivery on heathland, grassland and woodland habitats.
• Practical land management experience and delivering estate management works.
• Qualification in use of tractor and chainsaws.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Livestock management.
• Knowledge/understanding of nature conservation.
• Lantra or equivalent qualification in ATV, pesticide use & brushcutter, first aid trained.

Additional Information:

This is a fixed-term role for 6 months, full-time 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 week commencing 5 August 2024. For further information please contact fiona.daggett@rspb.org.uk or call the reserve office on 01395 233655.

As part of this application you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete a short form. If you wish to provide a covering letter with your application, please include this at the end of your CV document upload.

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.