Conservation Officer Save our Spiders: Kernow

Salary: £33,474.96
Contract: Full-time (37.5 hours per week). Fixed-term until March 2029
Location: Home-based in Cornwall

About the job

Do you love spiders and want to work along the beautiful Cornish coastline? We have an exciting opportunity for a Conservation Officer to work on Save Our Spiders: Kernow, which is made possible with the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Save Our Spiders will help to secure the future of 12 Nationally Rare species of spider found along the Cornish coast, including the Golden Lantern-spider (Agroeca cuprea), Dorset Mesh-weaver (Altella lucida) and the White-moustached Jumper (Euophrys herbigrada).

The successful candidate will work with partners, landowners, specialist contractors and local communities to:

• Survey sites along Cornwall’s coastline to improve our knowledge of the UK distribution and habitat requirements for twelve threatened spider species.
• Undertake bespoke habitat restoration to better support spiders around the Cornish coast and provide management advice and guidance to landowners.
• Work with project partners to raise awareness of the importance of spiders and encourage people to have a friendlier relationship with them via the delivery of a range of educational and artistic events and activities both across Cornwall and online.

The successful candidate will conserve invertebrates and their habitats by inspiring, influencing and supporting others, and by managing and enhancing the environment. This role may include: project management; partnership working; overseeing practical habitat management works; undertaking species surveys; coordinating permissions and specialist contractors; working with local communities; managing volunteers; public relations; financial management and teamwork.

Save our Spiders: Kernow is using money raised by National Lottery players. The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage.

Why Buglife?

The Benefits

• 23 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata);
• Flexible remote working with travel only when needed;
• Wellbeing Wednesday – a paid half-day off on the last Wednesday of every month;
• Employee Assistance Programme and Spark health and wellbeing app;
• Life assurance from day one;
• A supportive culture where we invest in your development;
• The chance to genuinely shape how we work.

The Mission

Buglife is the only organisation in Europe dedicated to saving all invertebrates. From bees to beetles, jellyfish to jumping spiders – we’re working to prevent extinctions and protect the small creatures that keep ecosystems functioning.

We’ve been going since 2000, we have staff across the UK, and we’re at an exciting point in our development with a new strategy to scale our impact. This role will help build the foundations for that growth whilst ensuring we’re inclusive and well-governed as we get there.

Closing date: Tuesday 4 August 2026
Interviews: Thursday 20 August 2026

Buglife values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and communities, and we recruit based on skills, experience, and qualifications. If you need any adjustments during the application or interview process, just let us know.