Machinery Operator

RSPB Northern Ireland’s Countryside & Land Management Services is expanding our large-scale habitat management works. As a Machinery Operator, you will be working to help nature across Northern Ireland. Not only will you be working on RSPB NI’s amazing reserves and focus areas, but also for our partner organisations and private landowners. The work will be challenging but very rewarding as you help protect and rebuild our precious wetlands, peatlands, woodlands and grasslands. 

If you have experience operating agricultural machinery and want to make a real difference for the future, we would love to hear from you.

You will be working for the UK’s largest conservation charity, working and delivering habitat management at a local level. This is an opportunity to develop your career, with training opportunities provided, with flexible hours. You will play a key role in ensuring the requirements of existing contracts are met, as well as developing the work of the Countryside & Land Management Services across all Northern Ireland. You will be operating a variety of CLMS specialist machinery, ensuing it is all kept in the best possible condition.

Responsibilities:

• Operating specialised machinery on sensitive sites, producing professional results.
• Ensuring all machinery is kept in best possible condition 
• Organising regular machinery servicing and carrying out maintenance as per manufacturers recommendations.
• Transporting & assisting to organise the transport of machinery to and from sites.
• Habitat management to ensure conservation targets are being met. 
• Maintenance of machinery to ensure they are operating safely and efficiently, in accordance with manufacturer recommendations. 
• Maintaining high standards of health and safety to minimise risk to the RSPB and to ensure understanding and compliance of health and safety while undertaking duties.
• General administration, record keeping and report writing associated with all of the above to ensure admin and reports are up to date and systematically organised.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• GCSE Mathematics and English or equivalent.
• Operating, diagnostics and maintaining agricultural machinery, including specialised wetland equipment, tractors, ATVs and excavators.
• Maintenance, repairs and use of machinery, tools, equipment and infrastructure.
• Microsoft Office packages including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Problem solving and coming up with well thought through practical solutions.
• Working unsupervised for extended periods.
• Communicate verbally with a wide range of audiences.
• Manage oneself and others to prioritise and work to an agreed plan.
• Practical land management experience and delivering estate management works.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Lantra or equivalent qualifications in ATV, chainsaw, tractor driving and excavator operations.
• Implementing and updating health and safety records and assessments.

Additional Information:

This is a permanent, full-time role for 37.5 hours per week.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 21 June 2024. For further information, please get in touch with [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 on nature's side and more diverse people. People of colour and disabled people are underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sectors. 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 from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

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.