Nature Reserve Officer

Scotlink; Ellon; On-site; GBP 24,000 - GBP 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A conservation organization is seeking a dynamic individual to join their team at Forvie National Nature Reserve in Scotland. You will be responsible for visitor engagement, habitat protection, and leading guided walks. The role requires excellent interpersonal skills, physical fitness for outdoor work, and a driving licence. This position offers a salary of £29,058 and comprehensive benefits, including a generous leave allowance and a civil service pension scheme.

Benefits

Civil service pension scheme

41.5 days of annual leave

Flexible working options

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• Good level of physical fitness to work in rough terrain.
• Ability to work effectively alone outdoors in remote locations.
• Experience of working with the public and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide visitor information on natural and cultural heritage.
• Manage access to the reserve under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
• Lead environmental education and organised visits.

Skills

Driving licence

Physical fitness

Excellent interpersonal skills

Field identification skills

Practical task aptitude

Report writing skills

Job description

Forvie National Nature Reserve, Ellon, Scotland

£29,058

Job Purpose Summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join the small and passionate team managing Forvie National Nature Reserve. NatureScot NNRs are committed to delivering species and habitat protection as well as high quality visitor experience.

We are looking for a dynamic and engaging person that will support the protection and monitoring of habitats and species and will lead on this during weekends and staff holiday periods.

Many visitors appreciate and require on-site contact with staff to help them make the most of their visit and encourage responsible behaviour, working towards a nature-rich future. This will involve working on your own, the NNR team and partner organisations and will be the main point of contact at weekends for NatureScot.

The post holder will be expected to assist with, and lead, guided walks or group visits.

The post holder will also assist with environmental, disturbance and visitor surveys and site maintenance tasks.

Areas of Responsibilities

• Provide visitor with information on the natural and cultural heritage interests.
• Manage responsible access to the reserve by promotion of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
• Raise awareness of NatureScot and its key messages surrounding climate emergency and nature-rich future.
• Contribute towards visitor monitoring of the NNR.
• Contribute towards environmental monitoring on the NNR.
• Assist with and lead environmental education, organised visits and events.
• Contribute towards maintaining NNR infrastructure.
• Work weekends to maintain staff presence on site.
• Undertake measures necessary to ensure personal health and safety at work.
• Undertake necessary training.
• Weekend work

Person Specification (Please refer to these in your Supporting Statement)

Essential Skills

• Driving licence – the post holder will be required to drive NatureScot vehicles.
• A good level of physical fitness as this role will involve working in rough terrain and inclement weather conditions
• Ability to work safely and effectively alone, outdoors and in remote locations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and experience of working with the general public and other stakeholders
• Understanding of public access to Scotland’s outdoors
• Good field identification and monitoring skills
• Aptitude towards practical tasks (e.g. machinery and equipment and infrastructure maintenance)
• Good writing skills, including report writing and social media

Desirable Skills

• Lantra or City & Guilds certificates in brushcutting and off-road driving.
• First aid outdoors
• Supervising volunteers and leading groups outdoors
• Experience and knowledge of social media platforms and ways of communicating to a wide audience

Prerequisites Required

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK and resident in Scotland for the duration of the job contract.

To undertake a Disclosure Scotland application.

Although Gaelic language is not a prerequisite it is a desirable skill in support of our commitment to our Gaelic Language Plan.

Working for NatureScot – what we offer you

NatureScot offers some great benefits to reward and support you whilst you are working for us. Our benefits package includes the civil service pension scheme, a generous holiday leave allowance plus flexi time, and employee discount scheme. Visit the NatureScot website for further details including below:

• An environment with flexible working options
• A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% (7.35% employee contributions) www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk
• 41.5 days of annual leave, including 5 fixed public holidays on St Andrews Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2nd January
• Equivalent of 2 days paid volunteering leave
• A focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• Job satisfaction from contributing proactively to the twinned nature and climate crisis
• Death in service benefits
• Cycle to work and electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes
• Access to an employee discounts scheme
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Closing date: Midnight 19 February 2026.

Nature is vital to all of us, so it is vital that we are an organisation for all of Scotland. The more diverse NatureScot is, the better we will be in connecting everyone with nature. We particularly encourage applications from people from Minority Ethnic (ME) backgrounds and people with a disability.

Apply here