Residential on Reserve - Volunteer Warden

Where Mersehead, Dumfries & Galloway

When: Early August 2025 to end March 2026

Commitment: 5 days a week for 6 months

Why We Want You:

Would you like to wake up every morning and go to work on an incredible coastal reserve with amazing views across the Solway Firth and the Galloway hills? Are you passionate about nature conservation and helping visitors to have an amazing experience with wildlife? If so, Mersehead would love to hear from you!

Under RSPB management since 1993, Mersehead contains a wide variety of habitats in breath-taking surroundings set adjacent to the wide expanses of intertidal sandflats on the Solway Firth. Large expanses of sky and seascape give a feeling of escapism, with stunning views towards the Lakeland fells and the Isle of Man, and Criffel and the Galloway hills which shelter the reserve.

We are looking for an enthusiastic residential volunteer to join our small, friendly team here at Mersehead to help with the delivery of our overall reserve work program. As a member of the RSPB Mersehead team, you will become fully involved in all aspects of work required to run a nature reserve. This will include wildlife surveys, assisting with events, practical habitat work, assisting with the management of our visitor centre and visitors, managing day volunteers, maintaining infrastructure . . . the list is endless! With such a variety of work required, every day is different, and you will gain a range of new skills. You will be hard working and prepared to get stuck into whatever the day brings.

What’s In It For You:

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to wildlife conservation, bring people closer to nature and start a career in conservation. You will learn what it takes to run and manage a nature reserve and will gain a valuable insight into Europe's largest conservation charity.

You will be living in your own room within our converted farmhouse which is located in the heart of the reserve, allowing you to become fully immersed in the life of RSPB Mersehead. Badgers and barn owls are common sightings from the farmhouse windows in the evenings!

This placement offers an opportunity to acquire a range of skills required for working in the conservation sector encompassing the complete experience of a typical nature reserve from habitat operations to visitor management. Examples of the types of work you will be assisting with include:

Survey work: Throughout the winter months you survey wetland birds across the reserve and count thousands of Svalbard Barnacle geese. You will assist with vital work to monitor and maintain the anti-predator fence for ground nesting birds, particularly Lapwing.

Habitat work: The Natterjack Toad, a European protected species and the UK's rarest amphibian, can only be found in Scotland along the Solway Estuary with the largest colony found at RSPB Mersehead. You will be involved in vital habitat preparation work ahead of the Natterjack breeding season.

Practical habitat and estate work: Hard manual work, including strimming and grass cutting, fencing, and boardwalk repairs.

Visitor Operations: Helping to provide an excellent experience to all our visitors at Mersehead – to be welcoming, inspiring and knowledgeable. Helping and planning and even delivering events such as assisting and eventually leading some of our winter events such as badger watching. Taking on all the daily aspects of the Visitor Centre duties and writing creatively for the reserve social media, such as Facebook.

There may also be the opportunity to occasionally spend time off site working on community engagement projects we are involved with and working at other nature reserves within in the RSPB Scottish Lowlands region to gain experience of other habitats which include ancient woodland and coastal heathland with breeding seabird colonies.

We will provide support and coaching through on the job learning to enhance the skills and experiences you need to be successful in pursuing a nature conservation career.

Requirements:

We need someone who has an enthusiastic and friendly personality, works well in a team, and is keen to learn lots about conservation and wildlife. You must have good communication and people engagement skills with the confidence to talk to people from all walks of life.

You must be happy working outdoors in all weathers in what can be very challenging physical and repetitive work. Some weekend working will be necessary, but time off will be given during the week instead.

You must be over 18, and a full clean manual driving licence is advantageous as this will allow you to drive the reserve's vehicles.

Good bird identification skills, an ability to use computers/software and some previous practical/people engagement experience would be beneficial but not essential. Most of all, you just need enthusiasm and a passion for developing a conservation career, as well as confidence in meeting and speaking to people.

Notes:

This is a remote site so your own transport would be advantageous.

There is no charge to take part in the scheme. It is your responsibility to cover the cost of your transport to and from the reserve, and to provide and cover the cost of your food during your stay. The RSPB will provide accommodation, together with basic services, free of charge for the period you are volunteering, and cover any expenses incurred as a necessary part of your work on the reserve

Please apply as soon as possible.