Wildlife Field Officer CR1518/CR2092
| Dyddiad hysbysebu: | 10 Mawrth 2026 |
|---|---|
| Cyflog: | £29,715 bob blwyddyn |
| Oriau: | Llawn Amser |
| Dyddiad cau: | 23 Mawrth 2026 |
| Lleoliad: | Preston |
| Cwmni: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Math o swydd: | Parhaol |
| Cyfeirnod swydd: | 450979/1 |
Crynodeb
The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our People are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes.
APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.
We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.
We are looking for compassionate, dedicated individuals who strive for excellence and integrity, who are passionate about supporting the British farming industry and ensuring healthy wildlife populations.
Are you conscientious and an excellent team worker?
Do you enjoy working outside?
If the answer is ‘yes’, we would love to hear from you!
We currently have an exciting opportunity in the Wildlife Team for Field Staff to operate nationally. These posts will form part of a team of Field Staff to assist with delivering vaccination of badgers against TB and related work, mainly field-based activities such as badger sett and activity surveys.
The contractual base location for this team (the Northern Hub) will be based in Preston, although teams will operate from other designated APHA locations. The Wildlife Health Field Services Unit is located in Stroud, and this is where your training will be undertaken. All business costs/expenses incurred for training will be covered by APHA.
This is an important part of supporting implementation of the Government’s TB Strategy, and we are looking for highly motivated individuals with a willingness to travel and work away from home regularly and with a strong appetite for wildlife-related outdoors work. This role requires substantial and regular travel to various destinations within England throughout the year.
You will spend most of your time between May and end of November undertaking badger vaccination fieldwork, which is taking place in a wide geographic spread of counties across England. You would be expected to regularly work away for continuous 3 week periods (for each trapping and vaccination round). This includes working the second weekend only. Turn-around time between three-week vaccination rounds may be short at times. Where vaccination areas are close to your home location you may be able to carry out some vaccination rounds within reasonable daily travel and we will always endeavour to match staff home locations to project areas to minimize travel however the expectation would be that there would be a substantial requirement for away working in these roles.
From December to April inclusive, you will be undertaking other wildlife related duties mainly consisting of conducting field surveys (again, across a range of counties as required by project needs therefore potentially requiring further travel and staying away from home) and potentially other activities related to estimating and monitoring badger numbers some of which may involve periods of deskwork. Ability to satisfy this mobility requirement of the roles is therefore essential.
Suitable vehicles will be provided for this work on a business-use only basis and related expenses will be covered. Vehicles will be kept at the designated APHA office and collected by team members from site although in certain circumstances permission can be sought to keep a vehicle at home overnight (for example during vaccination mornings when working anti-social hours). Regular attendance at the designated office will be necessary. Some training may take place elsewhere. Please note that journeys to/from the designated office will be at your own expense and in your own time.
This is a great opportunity to gain new skills and valuable experience of wildlife-related fieldwork. If you are already a trained badger vaccinator or experienced in surveying for badgers, it is an opportunity to substantially employ those skills.
The wider wildlife team based at Aston Down, Woodchester Park and Sand Hutton (in York), is involved in a range of research activities, primarily focused on wildlife health and management across a wide variety of species therefore there may be opportunity/ business need to work across a wider range of species. The Woodchester Park unit delivers a range of mainly badger-related wildlife research, scientific, technical, and field-based services and projects for Defra’s TB policy team and Welsh Government. This supports the implementation of strategies to tackle TB.
- Field staff will generally work alone but as part of an overall team to deliver vaccination campaigns and field survey and monitoring work.
- Vaccination projects are ongoing across counties in the South West, North West and North East currently, however there is the potential for the team to be asked to deliver new vaccination campaigns in any counties of England, as directed by changing policy needs. It is therefore critical that the postholder is geographically flexible and willing and able to travel and work away from home regularly for this role
- You will be responsible for your own vaccination rounds (normally lasting 3 weeks per round end to end), and including surveying, trapping, welfare assessment, vaccinating and then releasing the animals. You will need to undertake relevant training and familiarisation with how this work is done (passing a competency assessment) and will be expected to adhere strictly to trained methodologies and APHA standard operating procedures.
- Some office or desk-based work will likely be necessary shortly before the start of, and after the end of fieldwork as well as ongoing administrative duties required year-round e.g. mandatory training, submitting timecards and vehicle log sheets.
- During the closed season other desk-based duties may likely include reviewing images from wildlife cameras.
- Although this role is predominantly field based there is an essential requirement for good IT skills as all time-recording and expenses are submitted online and project documentation and standard operating procedures are all accessed online. Data collection in the field (for example recording outcomes of trapping activities) is app-based data recording
- Mandatory online and face to face training must be completed; this includes induction training and staying up to date with regular training requirements. Additional training to support your role as a line manager will also be required.
- Necessary equipment for the field work, including a laptop and mobile phone, will be provided, as will a suitable vehicle for business purposes only.
- You will be expected to regularly attend your designated office for team meetings, and meetings with your line manager and colleagues. MS Teams can also be used, for example if you are working away from the office, or regular communications with Stroud based colleagues.
Things you need to know and main responsibilities:
- To undertake APHA training (induction and ongoing mandatory) and familiarise yourself with relevant APHA user support IT systems, procedures, standards, and practices.
- To undertake relevant training in badger sett-survey/badger monitoring techniques, appropriate trapping techniques, appropriate handling of vaccine and badger vaccination; including being assessed and signed off as competent in all relevant field skills before you can deploy.
- To carry out all tasks following relevant standard operating procedures, best practice guidance and instructions from managers and the Directing Vet overseeing APHA delivered badger vaccination.
- To become self-sufficient at operating consecutive rounds of badger trapping and vaccination during the period May to end November inclusive; each round will cover several square kilometres and is expected to take approximately 3 weeks to complete. Where vaccination areas are close to your home location you may be able to carry out some vaccination rounds within reasonable daily travel time and we will always endeavour to match home locations to project areas to minimize travel however the expectation would be that there would be a substantial requirement for away working in these roles.
- To accurately complete all associated project paperwork and records (including app-based recording) to deadlines, submitting accurate and complete field data on time. To use all equipment and vehicles issued to you in line with organisational policies.
- To maintain regular contact with your HEO line manager/supervisor and the Operational Manager within the Wildlife Health Field Services Unit, ensuring they are made aware in a timely fashion of any work or relevant personal issues affecting your ability to work.
- To establish and maintain professional relationships with relevant landowners and range of other external stakeholders and members of the public presenting professionally and courteously as APHA staff at all times and adhering to the terms and conditions of the relevant access agreements. Face to face meetings with landowners as well as phone and e-mail contact will be a regular part of the role, following set protocols as directed by project managers.
- To undertake relevant health and safety training, including lone-worker First Aid training and 4x4 driving.
- To adhere to all health and safety advice (including use of the PeopleSafe app as directed by project managers), APHA Standard Operating Procedures and also observe advice in all relevant risk assessments. These aspects will cover both operating in the field and driving for business purposes as appropriate.
**This post involves working with nuts, including peanuts, as a bait source in badger trapping, so would not be suitable for persons with nut allergies**
The successful candidate will need to comply with a number of health protocols and, where required, wear protective clothing and Respiratory Personal Protective Equipment (RPPE). Please note, as per APHA Health and Safety standards on RPE, Tight-fitting RPE (masks, both powered and non-powered) will only provide effective protection on clean shaven face. Men should be clean shaven when face fitted and when required to wear the RPE during fieldwork.
The post will require Health clearance. You will be expected to complete a questionnaire on your general health and have any necessary vaccinations or health surveillance, including (Avian Influenza, TB, Tetanus and Respiratory & Skin Sensitisers). This will be arranged by the Health Team, Weybridge.
Out of hours work may be required in the event of an incident
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