Wildlife / Senior Field Ecologist | Mt Gibson

About AWC:

Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) is a global leader in conservation, providing hope for Australia’s wildlife with a science-informed, land management partnership approach which delivers high impact results. We protect endangered wildlife across 12.9 million hectares in iconic regions such as the Kimberley, Cape York, the Top End and Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. 

AWC's mission - to deliver effective conservation for all native animal species and their habitats - is achieved by:

• Operations - delivering effective large-scale land management including fire management, feral animal control, weed control and infrastructure management. 
• Science - delivering the largest national biological survey program with a focus on measuring the population of indicator species and the extent of threatening processes as well as conducting research on key issues such as feral cat control. 
• Fundraising - mobilising finance (primarily, tax-deductible donations) from the general public and philanthropists including through effective communication of field updates from around the AWC estate.  

About the role:

In SW WA, AWC manages four wildlife sanctuaries: Karakamia and Paruna, in the Perth hills; Mt Gibson, in the northern wheatbelt; and Faure Island, in Shark Bay. AWC runs a nationally-significant reintroduction program on these sanctuaries, with feral predator-free ‘safe havens’ established on Karakamia, Mt Gibson and Faure Island, supporting suites of locally-extinct/ threatened mammal species. AWC’s SW wildlife sanctuaries are also important for conserving a range of native species and their habitats. 

The Wildlife Ecologist or Senior Field Ecologist will play an important role in designing, implementing, evaluating and reporting on AWC’s science program in the south-west. 

Key duties of the position include the following: 

• Contributing to the development, implementation and reporting of AWC’s science program in SW WA, with a particular focus on Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary. Major tasks in the science program include the reintroduction of locally-extinct species, ecological monitoring, and applied ecological research by AWC and external scientists.
• Providing on-site leadership to AWC’s science team on Mt Gibson.
• As delegated by the Regional Ecologist SW, contributing to AWC’s science program elsewhere in the region.
• Working in an integrated way with AWC operations staff to help design, implement (as relevant) and report on conservation and land management strategies in SW WA. 
• Working effectively with key stakeholders, including government agencies, Indigenous groups, corporations, threatened species recovery teams and the local community, in relation to progressing AWC’s projects at Mt Gibson and elsewhere in SW WA.
• Presenting AWC’s science program to the scientific community and to the public through publications, reports, presentations and participation in workshops.
• Assisting with AWC’s communication and fundraising activities.

Critical competencies:

1. Getting things done: you need well-developed planning and organisational skills, including a demonstrated ability to prioritise and execute a range of tasks in an efficient manner.
2. Leadership: you need strong leadership and team-building skills, including the ability to manage and coordinate a team of staff, volunteers and contractors working in remote areas.
3. Collaboration: you need good relationship-building and collaborative skills, including the ability to develop and maintain relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, including the broader scientific community, conservation and land management organisations, and Indigenous groups. 
4. Knowledge of the conservation of Australian wildlife and ecosystems: through your training, interests and experience, you will have well-developed knowledge of the nature and functioning of Australian ecosystems, threats to native wildlife and their habitats, and how threats can be mitigated. Ideally, you will have experience working with land managers to design or implement threat management strategies.
5. Ecological research skills: you will have well-developed knowledge of the ecological literature relevant to conservation in Australia; well-developed knowledge of experimental design and sampling methods; and relevant skills in the use of computer software packages relevant to the position. Appointees at the Wildlife Ecologist level will have demonstrated capacity in the statistical analysis of ecological data. Ideally, you will be competent in the statistical analysis package ‘R’ and in GIS.
6. Scientific communication skills: you will have the capacity to contribute to the preparation of scientific reports and funding applications, and the ability to communicate science and conservation messages to a general audience. Appointees at the Wildlife Ecologist level will have demonstrated capacity to write and review scientific publications, funding applications and reports, and present to scientific conferences.
7. Project management and reporting: you will have the capacity to deliver projects in a cost-effective manner and to report on project outcomes in a timely manner. 
8. Resourcefulness: you will have the ability to improvise and ‘problem-solve’, developing practical solutions with limited resources.
9. Willingness to travel: you will need to be able to travel and work at AWC sanctuaries for extended periods to conduct the requirements of the position.

Qualifications:

• Appointees at the Wildlife Ecologist level require a PhD in ecology or a related discipline.
• Appointees at the Senior Field Ecologist level require a higher degree (Honours degree or equivalent) in ecology or a related discipline, plus substantial relevant experience.

Licenses, Certificates and/or Training:

• Valid Australian manual driver's licence. To perform this role, you will need to be able to drive a manual 4WD vehicle in difficult conditions. Training in relevant competencies may be required.

PLEASE NOTE: The successful candidate will be expected to live on-site, with accommodation provided at Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary, approximately four hours drive from Perth, WA. Work rosters are determined by agreement with the Regional Ecologist SW, and may provide for regular days off-site, depending on project workloads. The execution of tasks associated with the position will involve fieldwork in remote locations and can sometimes be away from an established field base, often in isolated locations working alone.

To view the detailed position description for this role, click here: Wildlife Ecologist/Senior Field Ecologist - Mt Gibson

Join our Journey:

Take the leap and start your next adventure with the AWC!  AWC reserves the right to start screening applicants and interviewing throughout the recruitment process. 

Initial enquiries: **********@australianwildlife.org

Applications: To submit an application, click ‘Apply’ and follow the prompts to complete an online application form. Your application must include CV and covering letter, briefly addressing the critical competencies listed in the detailed job description attachment.

Please note: 

1. Applicants must be an Australian citizen/permanent resident or have a suitable visa in place in order to apply for the internship program. Sponsorship is not available.
2. If you apply for this role, AWC will include you in its ongoing updates and communications about its events, activities and fundraising initiatives. You may opt out of these communications at any time.
3. Any application submitted to AWC will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy, available at www.australianwildlife.org/privacy-policy. By providing us with your contact details, your consent to receive communications and direct educational material will remain current until you advise us otherwise.

AWC is a welcoming and inclusive organisation that invites individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as those who identify as First Nations and Torres Strait Islander, individuals with disabilities, the LGBTIQA+ community, neurodivergent individuals, and those from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, to apply for the opportunity. AWC values and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable to be themselves, and where a range of perspectives, cultures, and voices are respected and recognised as a key part to the success of AWC. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must also have the right to live and work in Australia.