Conservation Officer

Position Overview

• Reports to: Conservation Manager.
• Hours: full time (37.5 hours per week).
• Status: 14 month fixed-term contract, with a view to making permanent.

The Scottish Seabird Centre

The Scottish Seabird Centre (SSC) works to ensure that Scotland’s seas and coasts are alive with wildlife, celebrated and protected by all. SSC acts to save seabirds and restore Scotland’s marine environment through conservation, learning, and unforgettable wildlife experiences:

Conservation – SSC leads conservation initiatives to protect Scotland’s seabirds and restore the health of the coastal and marine environment. This includes working to protect internationally important seabird islands, and delivering community-led restoration, citizen science and practical conservation projects along Scotland’s coastline.

Learning – SSC seeks to build an understanding of and a passion for the marine environment. Over 60,000 children and young people have engaged with its education programme.

Experience – SSC operates one of the leading nature visitor centres in the UK, welcoming over 170,000 visitors a year, and was awarded the Gold Green Tourism Award in April 2025.

SSC recently published its strategic plan for 2026–2031.

Restoration Forth

Restoration Forth is a WWF-UK-led partnership bringing together communities, organisations, researchers and volunteers to restore coastal habitats across the Firth of Forth and build stronger connections between people and the sea.

The Scottish Seabird Centre has been involved in Restoration Forth since its first phase, delivering community-centred conservation and citizen science activities including seagrass monitoring and restoration. The next phase of the programme will explore opportunities to restore a wider range of coastal habitats, including sand dunes, seagrass, native oysters, blue mussels and saltmarsh.

Role Description

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Scottish Seabird Centre’s Conservation team and play a leading role in developing new coastal restoration and conservation opportunities across the Firth of Forth.

The postholder will spend much of their time delivering activities as part of the Restoration Forth partnership, with a particular focus on scoping opportunities for sand dune restoration along the East Lothian coast. They will bring together existing evidence, site observations, local knowledge and stakeholder perspectives to identify potential sites for future restoration and produce a practical restoration opportunity scoping report to inform the next phase of the project.

The postholder will work closely with landowners, local communities, volunteers, researchers and conservation organisations. Building trusted relationships will be central to the role, as will finding ways for local people to contribute to understanding, protecting and restoring their coastline.

Alongside Restoration Forth, the postholder will work as part of the wider SSC Conservation Team to develop and deliver conservation projects along Scotland’s coastline. This will include projects that help better understand and reduce seabird and shorebird disturbance, tackle coastal pollution and litter, and engage communities with citizen science and practical conservation action.

SSC is looking for someone with a background in coastal conservation or restoration, strong project management skills and excellent people skills. The successful candidate will be confident working independently, taking projects forward using their own initiative, while also being a supportive and collaborative member of a friendly team.

This role is about supporting people to protect, restore and connect with the marine and coastal environment, providing knowledge, tools and opportunities for communities and volunteers to take positive practical action for the wildlife and habitats around us.

Key Responsibilities

Restoration Forth (c. 60%)

• Lead SSC’s work as part of the Restoration Forth partnership, with a particular focus on identifying and developing opportunities for sand dune restoration along the East Lothian coast.
• Plan and deliver restoration opportunity-scoping activities, including site visits, desk-based research, habitat mapping, community engagement and stakeholder consultation, and produce clear recommendations to inform future restoration delivery.
• Develop and maintain effective partnerships with landowners, local authorities, communities, volunteers, researchers and conservation organisations, helping to build the relationships needed for future restoration.
• Coordinate and contribute to wider Restoration Forth activities, including seagrass, oyster, blue mussel, saltmarsh restoration and water-quality monitoring, citizen science and community conservation.
• Manage SSC’s Restoration Forth project administration, including project reporting, monitoring progress and outcomes, and managing the project budget in line with agreed plans and funding requirements.

Scottish Seabird Centre Conservation Programme (c. 40%)

• Develop and deliver coastline conservation and restoration projects, working with colleagues, volunteers, communities, landowners and partner organisations.
• Lead practical conservation and citizen science activities, including volunteer surveys, beach cleans, habitat management and activities that help improve understanding of, and reduce pressures on, seabirds and shorebirds.
• Communicate about conservation, restoration, and wildlife to a range of audiences, through events, talks, digital content and other appropriate channels.
• Develop funding applications to support this work, alongside the wider SSC team.
• Support the effective and safe delivery of Conservation Team activities, including appropriate planning, equipment management, health and safety and any other reasonable activities allocated by the line manager.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Experience of working in conservation, habitat restoration or a closely related field.
• Experience developing and managing conservation projects, including planning activities, managing deadlines, monitoring progress and reporting on outcomes.
• Excellent people, partnership working, and communication skills.
• Experience organising and leading practical, outdoor activities with volunteers or community groups.
• Confident working independently, using their own initiative to identify opportunities, solve problems and move projects forward.
• Highly organised, with good time management and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• A passion for nature and commitment to the charity’s vision and mission.
• Willing to undertake appropriate training, including outdoor first aid.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience of sand dune ecology, coastal restoration and/or coastal habitat management.
• Experience of habitat surveying, mapping or using GIS.
• Experience developing or delivering citizen science projects.
• Experience of developing successful community engagement or volunteer programmes.
• An understanding of the pressures facing Scotland’s seabirds and shorebirds and the wider coastal environment.
• A full, current driving licence.

Appointment will be subject to evidence of, or satisfactory completion of, Disclosure Scotland procedures (Protecting Vulnerable Groups).

Benefits

• Work for a successful conservation and education charity in a stunning location.
• 35 days annual leave.
• Workplace pension.
• Training and development opportunities for everyone.
• Access to Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Access to Health Cash Plan.
• Other benefits include: 20% discount in the charity’s Gift Shop and Seabird Café, 10% discount on the Scottish Seabird Centre boat trips, and free access to a range of Scottish visitor attractions with an Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions card.

To Apply

The Scottish Seabird Centre welcomes applicants with the right skills and experience and is happy to explore different working hours or patterns to support the right candidate. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

To discuss this role, please email Carrie at carrieb@seabird.org.

Please email a cover letter and CV to Carrie at carrieb@seabird.org by 17:00 on Friday 25th September 2026, setting out how you meet the essential and desirable skills and experience specified in the job description.

Interviews for this position will be held on the 5th and 6th of October 2026.

A note on AI & recruitment: AI can be a helpful tool, but please use it responsibly. Applications should be authentic; please avoid copying and pasting AI generated text. All applications received will be reviewed by humans, though there is no capacity to provide feedback to candidates who are not shortlisted.

More information: https://www.seabird.org/vacancies/conservation-officer