PeacePlus Nature Senior Conservation Scientist for Species

Location: Flexible in Northern Ireland
Contract: Fixed-Term until 31st July 2029

This is an exciting opportunity for a Senior Scientist to join RSPB Northern Ireland and the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science to deliver specific projects and work across the PeacePlus Nature programme.

PeacePlus Nature is an ambitious €20.8 million programme that brings together nine partners to tackle the decline in priority species and habitats in Northern Ireland, and the border counties of Ireland. The project is supported by PEACEPLUS, which is a cross-border funding Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and supported by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland administration.

PeacePlus Nature will work to restore blanket bog, lowland wet grassland and limestone grassland and priority species from breeding waders to Marsh Fritillary Butterfly.

What's the role about?

This role will:

• Manage a small team of peatland scientists who will provide evidence of the impact of peatland restoration.
• Manage a small team of wader surveyors who will carry out national citizen science and repeat breeding wader surveys in Northern Ireland.
• Share species and habitats science expertise across partners and projects planned for the PeacePlus Nature programme.
• Be embedded into the RSPB Northern Ireland team, will be managed by RSPBs Principal Scientist for Northern Ireland and will be part of the RSPBs Centre for Conservation Science to participate in wider RSPB science events when appropriate.

Essential:

• A PhD in a relevant ecological subject with a strong species and or habitats conservation focus, or equivalent experience doing relevant research.
• Experience of running research projects from start to finish and of managing other scientists and or field staff.
• Methodical and rigorous approach to experimental design, data collection and analysis to peer-reviewed standards of scrutiny and audit.
• Strong R and GIS skills, ability to use and apply ecologically relevant statistics, to enable innovative, robust analysis and interpretation of data.
• Methods for scientifically assessing the impact of peatland restoration and a demonstrable understanding of national species survey methodology.
• Identification of priority species and habitats, and their ecological needs, preferably for waders and within peatland ecosystems.
• Skilled collaborative, adaptable worker and communicator, with experience working with a range of stakeholders.
• Self-motivated and able to work efficiently under pressure to meet deadlines, the ability to plan and organise your own work.
• Full driving licence valid for use in the UK.

Desirable:

• Health and safety, licencing and access procedures necessary for carrying out research projects.
• Collecting, curating and analysing large complex data sets, ideally citizen science or biodiversity monitoring data.
• Managing and reporting budgets and processes required ideally by externally funded projects.

Additional information:

• The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

Closing date: 23:59, Sunday, 9th November 2025
We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 19th November 2025.

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

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