Seasonal Field Officer x2 – Beach Nesting Birds

We have an exciting opportunity for two Field Officers to join our East Norfolk and North Suffolk beach-nesting bird team. The project protects up to 30% of the UK’s little terns, as well as significant numbers of ringed plovers. The East Norfolk colonies have become some of the largest and highest priority in the UK yet face significant challenges from a range of disturbance pressures. We are seeking passionate, dedicated and inspiring individuals, with great communication skills, to build on the project’s success during the 2026 breeding season.

The Field Officers will be part of the Norfolk and Lincolnshire Conservation Team working closely with our Broads reserves and Suffolk Area teams. The post holders must be based close to the East Norfolk coast, as the work will be field-based around the colonies at Winterton-on-Sea, Eccles-on-Sea, North Denes and Kessingland. Some office work will be undertaken from our Norwich office and home. Given the remote locations and limited public transport, the ability to drive is essential for these roles.

The Field Officers will be managed by our Beach-nesting Bird Team Leader. They will work with the Senior Beach Warden and Community & Volunteer Officer to provide appropriate and effective management and monitoring around the colonies. The roles will be focused on covering night shifts and day shifts per week as required but will also support wider project work depending on the successful individuals’ skills and abilities. The role will involve the following work:

• Colony management – ensuring all colony infrastructure is in place and functioning to enable effective 24-hour wardening presence on all colonies where this is needed, ensuring high standards of health and safety and welfare are maintained in challenging conditions.
• Monitoring – supporting Team Leader, Senior Beach Warden and volunteers to ensure monitoring data is captured and recorded as per specified methodology.
• Kestrel diversionary feeding – locating kestrel nest sites and undertaking diversionary feeding techniques.
• Volunteer development – supporting the Community & Volunteering Officer and Senior Beach Warden to build the monitoring and management capabilities of the volunteer team.
• Communications and Community Engagement – supporting the Team Leader and Community & Volunteering Officer on the promotion of the project to highlight successes and seek to develop appropriate behaviours around the colonies.
• Relationships – it is essential that the roles build positive relationships with staff, volunteers and other beach users to generate support for the project and be able to effectively manage disturbance around the colonies. Speaking to beach-users will be essential to develop positive behaviours and address their concerns.
• End of season reporting – provide support to the Team Leader, as requested, through the season to assist in the compilation of information needed to produce the end of season report.

The project is an important piece of work within The Broads and the Suffolk Coast Priority Landscapes. Priority Landscapes are the RSPB’s approach to delivering conservation at scale and provides a focus to direct our resources where they will have the greatest impact. The delivery of this work is a priority both locally and nationally for the RSPB.

This is an exciting time in the projects evolution and if you feel this is the role for you, we look forward to hearing from you!

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Sufficient knowledge of bird and wildlife ecology, habitat requirements and identification of East Norfolk and North Suffolk, notably, seabirds.
• Demonstrable ability to effectively organise and prioritise workload.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the tact, diplomacy and negotiating skills to develop and maintain good relationships with colleagues, volunteers, partners and members of the public.
• Ability to use own initiative to solve day-to-day problems in the field.
• Experience of working to survey, protect and/or manage important sites, species or habitats.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Specialist conservation knowledge of habitats, species and environmental processes relevant to East Norfolk and North Suffolk, notably, beach-nesting birds or coastal management.
• Experience of managing volunteers and setting clear work priorities.
• Skilled use of Microsoft Office and ability to organise and manage large data sets.

This is a Fixed-Term role from 30th March – 14th August 2026 for 37.5 hours per week. The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

We will conduct interviews for this position on 13th & 16th February 2026. For further information please contact [email protected]

As part of this application process you will be asked to complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

The RSPB is a licenced sponsor. This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship – the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.