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Exciting opportunity to manage a remote beautiful island, interacting with wildlife and visitors, while working with a dedicated team.
Overview
Salary
£26112
Location
Handa Island, Scotland
Expires
Expires 10-1-26 - Applications reviewed after this date
Organisation summary: The Scottish Wildlife Trust is a dynamic organization with a history spanning over 60 years. It actively works towards creating healthy ecosystems across Scotland’s land and seas by policy and campaigning, demonstrating best practices through practical conservations and innovative partnerships, and promoting wildlife education and engagement.
Role Summary:
- Manage a remote, beautiful island and interact with its wildlife and visitors.
- Plan and execute work programs for self and a team of volunteers.
- Live and work with the team and occasional guests, leveraging excellent people skills.
- Perform physically demanding tasks in an outdoor environment.
- Make weekly trips to Scourie for laundry, banking, shopping, and gas bottle exchange.
- Produce an annual report on the season's activities.
Role Requirements:
- High emotional maturity, resilience, flexibility, and exceptional verbal communication skills.
- Good practical skills and experience for necessary island maintenance.
- Sound knowledge of marine and terrestrial natural history, and seabird monitoring methodology and practice.
- Current driving license and access to a vehicle.
Application Process Details:
- Click on the green 'Apply now' button to submit your application.
- Applications close on Wednesday 7th January 2026 at 12 noon.
- Interviews are scheduled for Friday 16th January 2026.
An outstanding opportunity for a passionate, highly motivated and skilled individual person to effectively manage this remote and beautiful island, its wildlife and 8000-plus visitors.
This exciting role requires excellent organisational skills, coupled with a high degree of flexibility. You will be responsible for organising work programs for yourself and a team of volunteers, with the ability to constantly adapt your plan according to changing conditions. Living and working with your team, and other occasional guests, will play to your excellent people skills, and you will be comfortable in a highly sociable environment. This role at times can be physically demanding yet hugely rewarding and will more than satisfy your desire to work outdoors in a remote and stunning location. Familiarity with Handa Island would be an advantage however not essential. Weekly trips to Scourie (the nearest, but remote village) are necessary to do laundry, banking, shopping, and exchange gas bottles, therefore, a current driving licence and access to a vehicle are both essential for the role.
Accommodation for the post is provided free of charge in the purpose-built Ranger's bothy.
The successful candidate(s) will ideally:
· have a high degree of emotional maturity, resilience and flexibility
· have excellent people skills, and thrive in a very sociable environment
· be able to work under their own initiative and as part of a close-knit team
· be able to organise, supervise and motivate a small team
· have exceptional verbal communication skills to maintain relationships with stakeholders
· have good practical skills and experience to carry out or arrange necessary maintenance on the island
· have a thorough knowledge of seabird monitoring methodology and practice
· have sound knowledge of marine and terrestrial natural history
· be able to produce an annual report on the season's activities
For further details, please download the role description and person specification.
To apply, please click the green ‘Apply now’ button
The Trust is a passionate employer, proactive about creating a culture of diversity and inclusive workplace that promotes and values equal opportunities for all. We welcome individuals from all networks of life, backgrounds, and experiences.
About us
For more than 60 years, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has worked with its members, partners and supporters in pursuit of its vision of healthy, resilient ecosystems across Scotland’s land and seas.
The Trust successfully champions the cause of wildlife through policy and campaigning work, demonstrates best practice through practical conservation and innovative partnerships, and inspires people to take positive action through its education and engagement activities. The Trust manages a network of over 100 wildlife reserves across Scotland and is a member of the UK-wide Wildlife Trusts movement.
The vacancy
Term: 6 Month Fixed Term from March 2026 – September 2026
Hours: Individual, 35 hours per week
Anticipated start date for this role is 16th March 2026.
(Accommodation provided is suitable for one individual ranger).
Closing date: Wednesday 7th January 2026 @ 12 noon.
Interviews: Friday 16th January 2026.
