Temporary, part-time. This position is for 3 days per week for 6 months

Closing Date: Midday on Friday 3 January 2020
Interview Date: Friday 17 January 2020
Start Date: As soon as possible after interview
Working Hours: Normal working hours are approximately 9:00-17:30, including an hour for lunch each day

Location: Tyland Barn, near Maidstone, Kent. It is expected that you will be based with Kent Wildlife Trust mainly on Bee Road sites across the Swale, but with some office time. You will also work closely with Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT) across the Making a Buzz for the Coast project area.

The Opportunity: Making a Buzz for the Coast is an exciting and ambitious partnership project led by BBCT, funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund. Kent Wildlife Trust is a core delivery partner, together with Kent County Council, RSPB, Swale Borough Council, Thames Water and Thanet District Council. The project spans 135 miles of Kent’s coastline from Dartford to Deal, and focuses on restoring and creating habitat for Kent’s wild bees, especially the Shrill carder bee.

The project is safeguarding rare bumblebee populations in Kent by creating and restoring habitat along the coast and linking isolated populations together in the long term through the creation of flower-rich ‘stepping stones’. Essential to this is the Bee Roads strand of the project led by Kent Wildlife Trust.

As the Bee Conservation Intern you will work alongside the Bee Roads Officer to oversee the delivery of habitat enhancement works on road verges across Swale District. This will include liaising with landowners, contractors and Kent County Council Highways Section to develop a network of well-managed Bee Roads providing ecological connectivity across the project area, ensuring positive outcomes for bees and other pollinators.

You will work closely with the two Conservation Officers at BBCT to deliver other elements of the project such as carrying out survey work and practical habitat management works with project partners. There will also be opportunities to work on other Kent Wildlife Trust nature reserves and with other Trust projects such as Grassification.

You: We are looking for candidates who are passionate and enthusiastic about the environment and wildlife conservation. This is an opportunity to kick start your career and is offered only to those who have not previously undertaken any paid work in this sector (this includes paid internships/traineeships).

Ideally, successful candidates will be able to demonstrate the following attributes:

• Currently undertaking or recently completed an HND/degree in countryside management/conservation or equivalent OR having a proven interest in the environment and actively seeking employment in this field
• Some experience in volunteering/leading volunteers
• Experience of practical habitat management work
• Some experience of using GIS software such as QGIS
• Computer literate including confident use of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Basic plant identification skills
• Basic bee identification skills
• Full, current driving licence (clean) for manual transmission vehicles
• Proven interest in the environment and nature conservation
• A mature approach and the ability to communicate effectively with the public, volunteers, colleagues and local communities
• A willingness to learn new skills, including undertaking training courses
• An ability to work on your own initiative
• A willingness to undertake outdoor work in all weather conditions and work some evenings and weekends

Kent Wildlife Trust is the leading wildlife charity for Kent and Medway, supported by its members and staffed by committed professionals. We are all working to protect wildlife and to find better ways to run an efficient and effective organisation.

Contact details:
For more information, please contact Rosie Earwaker on 07522 226554 or email Rosie.Earwaker@kentwildlife.org.uk

To download the application pack and apply, please visit our website: www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk

Kent Wildlife Trust and project partners have a positive approach to equality and welcome applications from all sectors of the community