IRISH BREEDING WADERS NEED YOUR HELP!!!

Lead Project Ecologist

The Breeding Waders EIP are seeking a Lead Project Ecologist, to come and work on this exciting project. Be part of one of Europe’s largest European Innovation Partnerships and Ireland’s largest Bird conservation project. This is an opportunity to work at the coalface of cutting-edge conservation and to implement meaningful change for Ireland’s Breeding Wader populations.

This €25 million initiative aims to protect and restore Ireland’s most vulnerable breeding wader populations.

Co-funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the project falls under the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) Agri Programme. It focuses on conserving and boosting populations of species such as Curlew, Redshank, Lapwing, Snipe, Dunlin, Golden Plover, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, and Red-necked Phalarope through comprehensive landscape management and policy development.

Ireland’s breeding wader populations have seen dramatic declines in both numbers and breeding range since the 1970s, with many species now facing the threat of extirpation or functional extinction.

The project team will establish connections with landowners, stakeholders and communities to foster a comprehensive understanding of the requirements of breeding waders within the landscape. To find out more about this EIP-Agri project, you can visit the project website on https://breedingwaders.ie/.

Core competency:

The successful candidate must have the ability to work in and lead teams in the collection of field data and have strong ornithological knowledge and skills. They should show experience in the preparation of a wide range of reports and analyses such as Habitats Directive Appropriate Assessment, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Ecological Impact Assessment and bespoke, habitat assessments and similar. The successful candidate will also need experience in the design and implementation of ecological surveys of Irish breeding waders, their habitats, analysis of ecological data, and preparation of management plans and project plans. Further demonstrated project experience across a range of other ecological disciplines will be of value.

Duties and responsibilities:

The job will involve working with the Breeding Waders EIP Project team on ornithological, ecological and environmental aspects of habitat restoration, data collection, land management agreements, dissemination of results, staff and citizen science training, project promotion, and reporting. As the lead ecologist, the role will require the provision of ecological input into desktop studies, scoping studies, site selection, habitat assessments, management plans, and Appropriate Assessment Reports. The role will also require project management tasks including programme and financial management and input to tender submissions.

The Lead Project Ecologist will be required to:

• work closely with the Project Manager and others to ensure that relevant project actions are delivered on time, within budget and to a high standard.
• report directly to the Project Manager and participate in the Senior Project Management team.
• deliver risk assessments, project progress and output reports, to be shared with the Project Partners, Strategic Oversight Committee and Advisory/Steering Group when required.
• to work closely with the project team, as well as with scientific staff, specialist external advisors and contractors and other technical collaborators.
• drive and deliver surveys and associated data collection.
• Engage with communities, farmers and other stakeholders.

Qualifications and experience:

Essential

• A relevant primary degree (Level 8) in a relevant discipline such as Ecology, Environmental Biology etc.
• Proven ability to work with a team
• A proven ecological and ornithological track record
• Proven ecological and ornithological field skills
• Proven experience in practical use of GIS (e.g. ArcGIS, QGIS))
• Proven experience in coordinating ecological projects and assessments as well as project management and liaising with clients and stakeholders
• Demonstrable excellence in report writing and communications
• Full driving licence

Desirable

• A level 9 or level 10 qualification (e.g. MSc or PhD) in a relevant discipline
• Previous experience working directly in Wader conservation
• A strong record in publishing ornithological or ecological peer reviewed papers
• Previous experience of Headstarting, translocation or re-introduction projects
• Sound knowledge of nest protection and modern predation risk management

References

Contact details for two referees should be provided including one from the most recent employer.

Testing

The project may require the submission of a short, written test in advance of interview.

Please send your application to [email protected] by 18th October 2024