Curlew Country is the UK Lowland Curlew Recovery project, operating in the Shropshire Hills and Welsh Marches. We work together with local farmers, landowners and communities to deliver real results for curlew. We are now looking for an assistant headstarter to join our team for the next season to help us secure a future for Curlew.
Curlew Country aims –
- To recover the significant curlew population in the Shropshire Hills and Welsh Marches, increasing range with funding and to meet demand.
- Establish a sustainable lowland curlew population in the medium to long term.
- Work with partners to establish a strategy for UK Curlew Recovery.
- Establish a workable model for every farmer with curlew on their land, to achieve breeding success.
Curlew Country Headstarting Assistant
£80/day and accommodation provided
Temporary Seasonal Contract: Full time between mid-April until end of July
Where: Stiperstones, South Shropshire
Role Description
Join the Curlew Country headstarting team for the 2022 season and help us with our important Curlew recovery work. We are looking for a hard-working individual to take on the role of assistant headstarter for Curlew Country based in Shropshire.
This is a unique opportunity to work with a pioneering project during the Curlew Headstarting Season. You will work with our trained headstarting lead to artificially incubate Curlew eggs and rear and release the resulting chicks. The role involves ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare and husbandry. You will help to train and lead trainees and volunteers throughout the headstarting process.
Typical duties of this role include, but may not be limited to:
- Avicultural headstarting skills including egg collection, incubation, monitoring and recording, egg and chick development, chick welfare
- Release pen construction
- Contributing to social media
- Training and leading volunteers and trainees
- Data inputting and report writing
Person specification
We need somebody that can commit to the whole headstarting season (mid-April until end of July), and who is willing to work weekends and evenings. You will be willing to work outdoors in all weathers and at varying and sometimes unsociable hours due to the needs of the developing birds and hatching eggs. You will be dedicated and hard-working, with some experience of aviculture animal care.
Essential Criteria
- You must have a full UK drivers’ licence and your own vehicle available to use for work
- You must have a working mobile phone and laptop available to use for work
- You must have experience working in aviculture or animal care
- You must be able to work well within a small team and with volunteers
- Ability to work well under pressure and consult with others to make important decisions
- Competent in the use of Microsoft office programs
Desirable Criteria
- A degree in ecology, biology or related field
- First Aid training
- Experience leading volunteers
- Able to carry out and write risk assessments
- Experience writing social media posts
If interested in the assistant headstarter position, please send a CV and covering letter to curlewcountry@gwct.org.ukApplication Deadline: 20th February 2022
Interview Date: 23rd February 2022
