Volunteer Ecology Wildlife Trainee (Oxford)

What are the main objectives of the role?

Our aim is to give you hands-on experience and training that will place you in a stronger position to gain paid employment in the environmental and ecological sector. As your skills and knowledge grow, you will also become an important part of our team, supporting our work, and helping us to achieve our vision of an environment rich in wildlife, valued by all.

You will assist the Ecology Team and Mammal Team to survey and monitor the wildlife and habitats on the BBOWT’s nature reserves and wider countryside. You will conduct water vole surveys and assist in monitoring mink activity in the three counties for the Trust’s Water Vole Recovery Project, as well as assist with our badger vaccination project. There will also be an opportunity to work with staff from our inhouse ecological consultancy, Future Nature. You will also help manage our survey data, by taking responsibility for survey data entry tasks.

What sorts of tasks and activities will I be doing? 

Species surveys (especially water voles, birds, butterflies and plants). Habitat monitoring using standard methodologies. Survey data management and data entry using Excel and Access.

How will my role fit in with BBOWT’s work?

BBOWT works to protect wildlife on our own nature reserves and beyond our boundaries. You will be part of the team that carries out surveys and assessments, to monitor the state of the wildlife on our nature reserves and in the wider countryside, to ensure that our management is making a positive difference. Our survey data also contributes to national recording schemes. 

Who will I be volunteering with?

You will be part of a team of staff, volunteers and one other ecology trainee. Survey work will largely be undertaken alongside your fellow trainee and/or staff members in the Ecology team for two days/week in summer, and Mammal Teams on one day/week in summer. Lone working may be required on occasion.

You will report to a dedicated mentor (Colin Williams, Senior Ecologist), who will support you, monitor your progress and help with personal development throughout your placement.

Where will I be based?

You will be based at BBOWT’s Oxford Office – The Lodge, Littlemore. Surveys will be conducted on the Trust’s 80+ nature reserves and the wider countryside across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

How much time will I be expected to give?

You will have to be available for three days a week for nine to 12 months. The days for your Traineeship will be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. On a normal day, you will start at 9.00am and finish at 5.00pm, although this may vary sometimes. You might also be offered surveying and training opportunities in the evenings and at weekends.

What’s in it for me?

If you’re enthusiastic, energetic and determined to get into a paid role in Wildlife Conservation and Ecology, this could be a perfect role for you. We are proud that many of our trainees have gone on to develop their careers in wildlife conservation.

 You will benefit from a substantial amount of training and get plenty of active experience, learning from our experienced, professional employees and volunteers how and why we do things.

 In addition, you’ll benefit from being in a large organisation, meeting other trainees, staff and volunteers. You’ll get to see how a wildlife conservation organisation works, giving you the chance to build a network of contacts and develop the communication and team-working skills that are so important to your future career.

• Learn about the wildlife and ecology in the three counties.

• Improve species identification skills and learn how to undertake a variety of wildlife and habitat surveys.

• Personal training budget to attend external courses (eg Field Studies Council and Species Recovery Trust) approved by your mentor.

• Develop good IT skills.

Will I be able to claim for expenses?

We will pay you limited travel expenses to travel between home and The Lodge in Littlemore.

What you will bring to the role

What’s most important is that you should have a desire to get involved, learn all you can and will enjoy working very closely with your fellow trainee and the staff in the Ecology and Mammal Teams.

 You will have a passion for UK wildlife and will use the traineeship to launch your nature conservation career. You will demonstrate a desire to improve your IT skills which will help you contribute to the management of BBOWT’s wildlife survey data.