Volunteer Trainee Countryside Ranger - Berry Head
Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust
Title: Volunteer Trainee Countryside Ranger - Berry Head
Reports to: Ranger Team Leader
Salary: Voluntary
Hours: 4 days per week for 9 -12 months
Free basic accommodation and training budget included.
Would you like to gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to pursue a career in the environmental sector?
We are recruiting a volunteer trainee ranger for Berry Head National Nature Reserve. Set on the beautiful coastline of South Devon, this 9-12-month training opportunity offers valuable experience in practical habitat management; footpath maintenance; visitor engagement and ecological monitoring.
Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust manage a wide variety of sites and habitats, including SSSI calcareous grassland, lowland heathland, LNR Woodlands and the stunning South West Coast Path.
The main focus will be on carrying out practical habitat management between Berry Head and Sharkham Point. Some of the key work areas include grassland strimming and raking in winter, and coast path cutting and footpath maintenance in the summer. You will also get involved with seasonal guillemot counts, botanical surveying, butterfly transects, guided bat walks, livestock checks, site patrols, litter picking and public events.
What we offer:
- 9-12-month training programme, 4 days per week plus weekends on a rota basis
- Free on-site accommodation including bills (excl. TV licence)
- Training budget to spend on relevant external courses of choice but must include First Aid and Brushcutter courses
- Work experience in a successful organisation that will demonstrate your abilities and commitment to future employers
- Regular 1:1s and a personal reference
- Working in a supportive environment alongside other long-term and local volunteers
- Networking opportunities within the organisation, partner organisations and other organisations that work within the same sector.
“For me, it was the people that made the experience so memorable. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the staff and volunteers, and I appreciated the opportunity to learn from them. I gained valuable knowledge about plants, birds, and insects, all thanks to their eagerness to teach and support me. One of the highlights was learning about barn owls and having the chance to see them every day.” – Izzy Pegg, Volunteer Trainee Ranger 2024-2025
To apply for the position please visit our recruitment page where you will find the role description, person specification and an application form. Where practicable, we aim to conduct interviews in person.
For further details about the role, please email Marije Zwager, Engagement Officer at Berry Head [email protected]
Closing date for applications: Friday 20th June 2025 12 midnight
Proposed interview date: Tuesday 1st July 2025 (TBC)
Preferred start date: asap
About Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust
We’re Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust (TCCT); your local, independent conservation charity. We care for over 1,700 acres of Torbay’s most beautiful natural spaces including Occombe Farm, Cockington Country Park, Berry Head and a host of wildlife-friendly woodlands, meadows, stunning cliffs and coastline around Torbay.
Our mission: to protect land, conserve nature and strengthen the bonds between people and the natural world of Torbay.
We’re Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust (TCCT); your local, independent conservation charity. We care for over 1,700 acres of Torbay’s most beautiful natural spaces including Occombe Farm, Cockington Country Park, Berry Head and a host of wildlife-friendly woodlands, meadows, stunning cliffs and coastline around Torbay. Our mission: to protect land, conserve nature and strengthen the bonds between people and the natural world of Torbay.
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