Title: Ecological Assistant Trainee

Trainee code number: 11R

Responsible to: Principal Ecologist & Senior Keeper (Natural History)

Overall purpose of placement

The Ecology unit is looking for a graduate to train as an ecological assistant. The Ecology Unit advises the County Council, partner planning authorities and others on a wide range of biodiversity issues. It also runs the Warwickshire Biological Records Centre (WBRC) and responds to research, commercial and other enquiries. You will have the opportunity to work in the WBRC using Recorder and basic GIS skills. Surveying skills will also be enhanced working within a small team. There will also be the opportunity to work with the Keeper of Natural History in species project work and Museum interpretation work and the Habitat Biodiversity Audit, a project to survey Phase1 and BAP habitats with Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull. Hence the following roles are varied.

Main responsibilities & areas of learning:

Your application should clearly illustrate your potential to carry out these responsibilities and meet the Trainee Specification.

A. Collections Care

• Assist in being responsible for manual and computerised cataloguing and other documentation (including daybook entries, accession register, book catalogue, records cards and object removal forms) of existing and new biological collections according to established procedures.
• Assisting with monitoring the physical condition of the biological collection; undertaking basic preventative and remedial measures including pest management, oversight of specimen freezer; liaison with taxidermist.
• Assisting with monitoring storage conditions and the environment of the stores; implementing basic improvements where necessary.

B. Exhibitions, Displays and Events

• Assisting with the preparation and maintenance of displays and exhibitions in Museum and other departmental premises and elsewhere, including regular updating of information in the wildlife gallery study area.
• Assisting with preparation for and participating in outreach, events and special projects on Museum and other departmental premises and elsewhere.
• Assisting with preparation of content for labels, leaflets, guides and other information and publicity material.

C. Ecology and Biological Record Centre (WBRC)

• Assisting with the day-to-day running of the WBRC (Sites and Species) and Habitat Biodiversity Audit (HBA) (Phase 1 plus surveying).
• Responsible for ensuring the continued cross referencing of the species and site based WBRC and the planning application case database, including adding species records to distribution maps; gathering, processing and filing information into site riles; cross referencing of the planning database and WBRC sites records.
• In liaison with the Senior Ecologist, responsible for devising and implementing new data management systems for the WBRC sites records.
• Liaison with holders of sub-sets of the Warwickshire Biological Record Centre and with relevant interest groups (e.g. Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Warwickshire Badger Group, Bat Group and the Amphibian and Reptile Team); ensuring regular exchange of records and correspondence with recorders and other Biological Records Centres outside the County.
• Assisting in the publication and dissemination of provisional species distribution atlases and responding to order requests.
• Assisting the Ecologists in the processing of planning lists, planning applications and proposals related to land use change. This may include assisting on site visits or very occasionally lone working may be required.

D. Responding to Enquiries

• Assisting with responding to biological/ecological enquiries, including objects for identification, offers, WBRC enquiries (both commercial and public) and with the maintenance of records of these.
• Assisting and where necessary overseeing researchers and others seeking information about or access to the biological collections and records.
• Co-coordinating requests for outloan material, preparing and documenting outloans.
• Processing new offers including documentation, storage (freezer), correspondence and liaison with the taxidermist.

E. Other Duties

• Day-to-day oversight of the work of any students, trainees or volunteers on relevant projects, under the overall supervision of the Senior Keeper of Natural History or Senior Ecologist.
• Involvement in other aspects of the work of the Museum and of the Department as required by the needs of the service.
• Some evening and weekend work will be involved, for which time off in lieu will be given.
• Curatorial staff are expected to be familiar with and to abide by the Museums Association Code of Conduct.

 

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