Freshwater Ecologist

Wild fish and their waters need your help. Will you join us in making a difference?

WildFish is a charity dedicated to conserving wild fish and their aquatic habitats. This is a new role for someone looking to grow as freshwater ecologist and to make a tangible impact on water-dependent wildlife. 

We’re seeking a self-motivated and driven Freshwater Ecologist to join our SmartRivers team. The ideal candidate is a confident communicator, comfortable with working remotely and prepared to contribute to regular team meetings.

SmartRivers is our scientifically robust citizen science toolkit. It empowers local communities to collect professional-grade data and take action to protect wild fish and their habitats. We offer comprehensive training and support for local organisations to conduct professionally comparable ecological monitoring with their volunteer network. Our approach generates data that matches the standards used by regulatory bodies, bridging critical gaps in river monitoring caused by ongoing resource constraints.

Key Responsibilities

• SmartRivers data processing and reporting. Providing interpretation of macroinvertebrate monitoring results.
• Supporting training of volunteers nationwide.
• Providing feedback to volunteers to improve their identification skills.
• Presenting SmartRivers data to external stakeholders.
• Identifying and reaching out to relevant academics, scientific networking at events and conferences.

Personal Requirements

• Up-to-date knowledge of aquatic ecology, especially macroinvertebrate taxonomy, and pressures on UK water bodies.
• Good understanding and use of nationally appropriate river sampling and analytical tools.
• Experience in statistical analysis and a practical understanding of R programming language.
• Self-motivated, prepared to take the initiative and manage your own workload.
• Able to lead meetings and represent the organisation externally.
• A confident communicator, with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Minimum MSc degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
• Comfortable working remotely but prepared to contribute to regular team meetings.
• Have a willingness to travel, with driving licence and own vehicle.

What We Offer

• Salary: £27,000
• 3 years fixed term contract.
• 25 days annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays.
• Additional leave during the festive season.
• Flexible and remote working arrangements
• Learning and development opportunities.
• Pension contributions of 5%

Diversity and Inclusion

At WildFish, we value diversity and inclusion. We are an equal-opportunity employer and encourage applications from individuals from under-represented groups in the conservation sector. If you don’t meet all the criteria but are passionate about our mission and believe you can contribute, we encourage you to apply.