Flexa
RSPB • Abernethy

Trainee Stalker - Cairngorms Connect

Employment type:  Contract
Salary:  £21,225 – £22,818 per annum

3–4 days/week at home

Fully flexible hours

Dog friendly

Job Description

Learn about deer management for habitat restoration as part of the Cairngorms Connect Partnership - the UK's most significant landscape-scale habitat restoration project.

This is a 12-month post working with the Cairngorms Connect Stalker and receiving on-the-job training to develop knowledge and skills in deer management to achieve the Deer Stalking Certificate Level 1 by the end of the traineeship.

What's the role about?

The Trainee Stalker will work with the Cairngorms Connect Stalker to learn about and assist with the targeted deer control in the Project area, primarily in remote locations and at high altitudes across large sections of the Cairngorms Connect project area.
A reduction in deer density is a crucial action to allow the expansion of native woodland through natural regeneration and planting. The Trainee will also be involved in estate works related to deer control and woodland expansion, e.g. tree nursery tasks, track maintenance, fencing, tree pruning/felling, etc...
The Trainee Stalker will receive formal training in First Aid at Work, 4x4 driving and ATV driving; There will also be on-the-job training in deer ecology and management, stalking, shooting, extraction and lardering skills with the overall aim of achieving the Deer Stalking Certificate Level 1 (DSC 1) by the end of the Traineeship. Personal Protective Equipment (Waterproofs, gloves, boots, hearing protection) will be provided.


We are looking for a person with the following essential skills and competencies;

- A disciplined and self-motivated person willing to work in remote locations and in poor weather conditions.
- Physically fit and able to cover long distances on foot over difficult terrain.
- Willing to work anti-social hours – early mornings, evenings and night shooting.
- Committed to delivering high-quality deer control and land management tasks.
- Interested in practical land management and machinery care/maintenance.
- A capable communicator, happy to work with project partners.
- Data recording, writing and report compilation skills
- Eligible to work and drive in the UK with a full driving license.
- Eligible to hold a Firearms Certificate.


Additional Information

This is a Fixed-Term (12 months) / Full-Time role for 37.5 hours per week.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 3/7/23. For further information please get in touch with steve.blow@cairngormsconnect.org.uk

As part of this application process, you will be asked to complete an application form including evidence of how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

At RSPB, we believe in fostering a culture of inclusivity and diversity where all individuals feel empowered, respected, and encouraged to express themselves fully. Our goal is to create a world that is abundant in nature and to achieve this, we need more people from various backgrounds to join our cause. Unfortunately, people of colour and those with disabilities are underrepresented in the environmental, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. We strongly encourage individuals from these communities to apply and contact us for any additional support they may need in completing their application

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.

Company benefits

Open to part-time employees
Open to compressed hours
Sabbaticals
Enhanced maternity leave
Enhanced paternity leave
Adoption leave
Shared parental leave
24 days annual leave + bank holidays
Enhanced sick pay

The FlexScore® is the result of a rigorous 2-step verification of a company’s flexibility

First we assess the flexibility options RSPB provides and then we anonymously survey a statistically significant proportion of their employees to make sure RSPB is as flexible as they say they are. Our assessment is based on the six key elements of flexibility: location, hours, autonomy, benefits, role modelling and work-life balance.

We ask the hard questions so you don’t have to.

Working at RSPB

Company employees

2400

Gender diversity (male:female)

41:59

Office locations

Across all 4 UK Countries

Hiring Countries

Liberia
United Kingdom

Awards & Achievements

Most flexible companies

Most flexible companies

Flexa100 2024
Charity & Tech For Good

Charity & Tech For Good

Industry awards 2023
Most flexible companies

Most flexible companies

Flexa100 2023
2nd – Charity & Tech For Good

2nd – Charity & Tech For Good

Industry awards 2022