Nature Recovery Assistant

We’re looking for an Ecologist at the early stages of their career with the determination and ambition to grow their skills and knowledge to support us in achieving our strategic goal of ensuring 30% of Derbyshire is managed for nature by 2030, facilitating the active delivery of the creation and restoration of wild spaces in the county.

The role of Nature Recovery Assistant sits within Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s professional ecological consultancy team, Wild Solutions. In this role you will be joining a growing team of dedicated ecologists, providing professional ecological services both on the Trusts land, and externally to a wide range of clients and stakeholders including businesses, councils and private landowners. It is an exciting opportunity to develop your ecological skills within a specialised advisory team with opportunities to engage within the wider conservation organisation.

At Wild Solutions we specialise in providing evidence-based, stakeholder-focused conservation projects, driven by place-based ecosystem service provision, nature-based solutions and rewilding. In this role you will work on a diverse range of projects, carrying out ecological surveys and monitoring schemes You’ll produce habitat management and creation plans, as well as large scale biodiversity strategies and master plans seeking out green finance opportunities to fund nature’s recovery. See our website to learn more about our Wild Solutions team and the projects this role will involve - www.wildsolutionsdwt.co.uk. 

To be successful you will utilise previous experience within an ecological or conservation field, knowledge of British ecology and a drive to learn new skills to support the team in developing nature-based solutions to the climate and biodiversity crisis we are facing. You will be a critical thinker, with an understanding of some of the opportunities and challenges facing nature today, including Nature Recovery networks, climate change, natural capital, rewilding and ecosystem services. In this role, you will be gain:

• Knowledge and experience in delivering and designing nature-based solutions that deliver for nature and other natural capitals: we want to see landscape scale changes to address the issues that society faces including biodiversity loss, carbon sequestration and storage, and reducing the risk and impact of flooding.
• Experience of ecological surveys, long term monitoring schemes, preparation of ecological reports and ecological advice.
• Opportunities to work in an innovative, multifaceted organisation, taking the next step in your career and building on existing knowledge and experience.

What we can offer you: 

• Flexible working options, we have adopted a 9-day working fortnight meaning all full time staff get a non-working Friday every fortnight 
• 33 days annual leave including bank holidays, we also have a festive shutdown so all staff get the days between Christmas and New Year off in addition to their leave entitlement 
• Climate Perks (extra leave granted for staff using more green, sustainable transport) 
• 9.5% employer pension contribution 
• Electric bike and car salary-sacrifice schemes available 
• Employee Assistance Programme 
• Life Assurance Scheme 
• Personalised Development programme designed to enhance your knowledge and progress your career 
• A multi-disciplinary business, with opportunities to work on a wide range of projects, developing your experience and skills 
• A close-knit, friendly and supportive team, with a relaxed office atmosphere 

About you

This role might be right for you if:

• You are looking to grow your conservation career and work in a dynamic and fulfilling role where you can positively impact natures recovery.
• You have some experience of ecological surveys and advice, with a willingness to develop and learn new skills.
• You have great attention to detail and communication skills
• You have a commitment to the restoration of nature and other environmental issues.

If you are interested in the role, please fill out the application following the Person Specification table in the associated documents.

We are happy to talk flexible working!

This role will be based at our office in Middleton although a balance of home and office working will be allowed. We are a local charity so applicants should be easily able to access our office and other locations around the county.

Interviews are planned for 20th March.

For more information, please refer to the job description and key terms on our website, to apply please specify in your application how you meet the criteria identified within the Person Specification in the Job Description document. If you have any questions about the role which are not answered in the attached documents, or require adjustments to the application process, please either email recruitment@derbyshirewt.co.uk or call 01773 881188.