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Job description

The postholder will support delivery of BTO’s seabird work programme within the ACCLIMATISE project, which will involve a range of field and desk-based research projects. The postholder will be employed on a 36-month contract commencing January 2026 and finishing December 2028. The role will be line-managed by Andrew Upton, BTO’s Senior Research Ecologist in Northern Ireland and for technical advice, will report to the Project’s Senior Research Ecologist (to be appointed). Please see employer website for full job details & person specification.

Responsibilities

• To undertake research projects, both in the field (including tracking projects) and desk based, following programmes of work agreed by project managers at BTO.
• Take a lead in the data preparation and data management for these projects, and to use personal initiative to design and implement the required statistical analyses. To learn and implement new statistical methods as required for particular projects.
• To work to tight deadlines, producing well written technical reports for funders on the work undertaken.
• To keep updated with the scientific literature relevant to seabird ecology, and to conduct literature reviews and other non-analytical projects as required.
• To give oral and poster presentations of work at scientific conferences and seminars.
• To communicate the results of projects through a range of media supported by our communications department, including non-professional audiences through semi-popular articles and occasional talks.
• To answer external queries including those from the media as appropriate.

Skills and Qualifications

Essential Skills

• An undergraduate qualification or equivalent experience in ecology or a related field.
• Appropriate fieldwork experience and knowledge for the role, for example in surveying and identifying British birds in the field by sight and sound.
• A good understanding of the principles of population processes, particularly seabirds, and their application to conservation science. Good knowledge of avian ecology and of British birds, and of bird survey techniques.
• Good statistical knowledge and experience in the application of statistical techniques, and associated expertise in computer programs for the manipulation and statistical analysis of ecological data.
• The ability to learn the use of new programming languages and computer packages and methods of statistical analysis as required. Experience with, or capacity to learn, Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
• Ability to publish in refereed scientific journals and write scientific reports.
• Ability to speak effectively to a wide range of audience types, including research presentations at scientific conferences and meetings and talks to the general public.
• Ability to write clearly for a range of popular and semi-popular publications.
• Good personal organisation and time management skills.
• Willingness to travel and to work out of hours.
• A valid UK driving licence and access to a private vehicle are essential, as the role involves travel to rural areas that may not be served by public transport.

Desirable Skills

• A current BTO ringing permit with a proven ability in handling birds (especially seabirds) and the use of special methods, including a wide range of bird catching methods and the safe fitting of tags and devices.
• An ability to curate and manage the data collected.
• Experience in surveying seabirds at-sea and familiar with identifying marine birds regularly found in British and Irish waters, including different age classes of seabirds.
• Experience of designing field-based projects.
• The ability to plan, to design and to execute analytical research projects and to see them through to the completion of reports and refereed publications.

Further Information

This is a 36 month contract, commencing January 2026. You can read the full role description by clicking on the role description under 'supporting documents' in the job details on our careers page. Please contact us if you are not sure if you meet all the criteria for the role and would like to discuss the role in more detail. This is an opportunity for the postholder to use and develop a range of skills to support delivery of BTO’s suite of seabird work within the ACCLIMATISE project. You will be based at the recently opened BTO NI office in Lisburn and be part of the BTO NI team, which currently includes two science staff, two engagement staff and one intern who works across both disciplines.