The role
Are you interested in playing an active role in restoring Wales’ peatlands?
We are looking for an experienced ecologist to join our newly formed Survey and Monitoring Team, which sits within the Wales National Peatland Action Programme (NPAP).
In this pivotal role you will be the lead for ecological survey and monitoring elements of NPAP, developing, planning and implementing surveys and assessments across our Welsh peatlands, with the aim of establishing baselines and undertaking repeat assessment to determine success of restoration interventions.
You will have an in depth understanding of the National Vegetation Classification, and its applications in a peatland context. You will provide training and support in monitoring methods, and habitat and species identification to other members of the team, helping to ensure high standards of work. Collaboration with partner organisations at a local, national and UK level is also key.
On-going development and innovation to ensure use of best field data capture techniques, and use of remote sensing and other technologies to aid survey and monitoring are other core aspects of this role.
Whilst our peatlands are wonderful places, you will need to undertake fieldwork in sometimes physically demanding environments.
We value continuous learning and development—you’ll have access to a wide range of resources and support to grow in your career. This role offers the chance to influence not just the current environmental landscape, but the legacy we leave behind.
As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to the nearest NRW office to your home and a suitable hybrid working pattern will be agreed on appointment. Any regular face to face meetings or training will be planned in advance.
To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Karen Wilkinson – karen.wilkinson@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk
Interviews will take place through Microsoft Teams 6th January 2026.
Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. Appointments are normally made within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.
What you will do
- Provide the specialist lead for all ecological survey/monitoring elements of NPAP.
- Lead the development and implementation of NPAPs ecological monitoring programme ensuring it delivers required outputs for reporting, including collaboration with partner organisations at a local and national level in Wales.
- Take a lead role in delivering NPAPs ecological monitoring programme, including scoping, resourcing and appointing contractors and budget management and responsibility, and coordinating the input of other appropriate technical NRW and NPAP staff where required.
- Provide ongoing mentoring and professional development support to ensure the technical development of the monitoring team, leading and coaching on new and existing procedures and techniques, ensuring that staff are trained and operating to the necessarily high standards in terms of species identification, mapping and monitoring methodologies, and knowledge of the NVC and condition categories.
- Analyse and interpret a wide range of complex information extracting key points forthcoming from the ecological outcomes element of the NPAP monitoring programme. Produce synthesis, reports and publications to feed into NPAP’s reporting structure, extracting key points and communicating this to others, at all levels.
- Lead the ecological monitoring programme by undertaking baseline condition assessment and installation of permanent monitoring plots as per NPAPs Ecological Monitoring Programme and to support ground-truthing of the emerging Earth Observation work stream.
- Undertake repeat monitoring visits to re-assess permanent monitoring plots.
- To deputise for the Team Leader NPAP Survey and Monitoring
- Organise and support the adoption of up-to-date fieldwork techniques, including use of ‘paper-free’ recording methods where applicable.
- Review evidence relating to new and emerging environmental monitoring technologies and their applicability to NPAP, analysing complex information and benefits for use by NRW.
- You will interact with colleagues across the organisation, collaborating with others to provide the efficient delivery of policies and work plans, and draw upon their skills to support the achievement of objectives.
- Develop and maintain close working links with equivalent roles in the national peatland restoration delivery programmes in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland (and other relevant initiatives such as the IUCN UK Peatland Programme) to support the development of complimentary approaches and collaborative working.
- Work collaboratively with other NPAP teams to deliver cohesive and strategic action on peatlands in Wales.
- Work collaboratively with other NRW teams.
- Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post
- Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy, together with an understanding of how it operates within the responsibilities of the post
- Be committed to your own development through the effective use of your personal development plan (known as Sgwrs).
- Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.
Your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills
In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method.
- A degree (or equivalent) in a biological, environmental science or geographical or earth science subject or relevant experience in discipline.
- Substantial expertise in terrestrial survey and monitoring techniques.
- Expertise in interpreting and reporting on environmental data and undertaking monitoring activities.
- Expertise in work planning, budgeting and contract management.
- Excellent report writing skills, and knowledge and experience of implementing relevant UK and European legislation coupled with expert interpretation of data against legislative drivers.
- Experience of supervising, coaching and mentoring.
- High level analytical skills including statistics, and expert knowledge of data handling including GIS.
- Member of a relevant professional body (desired).
- Ability to undertake fieldwork in sometimes physically demanding environments.
- Full UK driving licence.
Welsh Language level requirements
- Essential: Level A1 - Entry level
Welsh language levels
Please note if you do not meet the A1 requirement i.e., ability to understand basic phrases and ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly, then NRW offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal requirements during the course of your employment with us.
Benefits
This role will offer a range of benefits, including:
- Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 28.97% (successful internal staff will remain in their current pension scheme)
- 28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
- generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
- commitment to professional development
- health and wellbeing benefits and support
- weekly wellbeing hour to use as you choose
See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.
Please keep reading
We’re passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
We are committed to equal opportunities, and we guarantee interviews for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
We want to attract and retain talented and highly skilled staff, so we make sure that our pay scales remain competitive. We advertise the full pay scale on our job descriptions. Appointed candidates start at the first point of the pay scale and annual increments are paid each year.
We want our staff to grow professionally and personally. From leadership development to access to further and higher education courses, our staff have opportunities to expand their knowledge on variety of topics, stay current in their field and continue to learn as their career progresses.
We are a Bilingual organisation which complies with the Welsh Language Standards. Welsh language skills are considered an asset to NRW, and we encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills.
