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 in to 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 Aviculturists 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 7, including weekends, public holidays and evenings, to meet the requirements of the post.