River Restoration Team Operative in Callington

Westcountry Rivers Trust is recruiting a River Restoration Team Operative. This is a 6 – 9 month fixed‑term contract with an annual salary of £26,500.00 – £28,700.00 (dependent on experience).

Benefits

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 25 days Annual Leave + Bank Holidays, with a reward for long service – an additional 1 day per year for each year worked over 5 years, up to a maximum of 30 days for employees serving 10 years continuous service
• Additional leave covering the Christmas Closure period
• WRT contributes 9% of salary to a personal pension scheme (following a three‑month postponement period), plus Life Assurance cover
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Hybrid & Flexible Working

About the Role

The River Restoration Team Operative plays a key role in supporting the delivery of practical environmental projects across the organisation. Working collaboratively with the Operations Team and other departments at WRT, the postholder will contribute to the delivery of a broad range of catchment management activities that support the charity’s mission to protect and enhance freshwater environments. The role involves supporting and delivering projects such as tree planting initiatives, natural flood management schemes, arboricultural operations, habitat creation and restoration works, environmental monitoring, and community engagement activities. The postholder will ensure equipment and machinery is operated safely, efficiently, and in accordance with project specifications and health and safety requirements. Reporting to the River Restoration Team Leader, the successful candidate will be encouraged and supported to develop their technical skills and sector knowledge, gaining valuable experience within environmental conservation and practical land management.

Responsibilities

• Safely operate equipment and machinery on site to support the delivery of WRT project work such as chainsaw‑based work, surveys and monitoring, installation of a variety of habitat features, and in‑channel barrier removal.
• Support the Operations and other Trust teams with other site‑based works commensurate with the level of the post.
• Take responsibility for project administration, including regular and ongoing collection, recording and reporting of tasks.
• Prepare and draft essential site and project related paperwork (e.g. RAMS, CPP, permits, and reports).
• Build positive relationships and liaise regularly with colleagues and external partners or organisations in a professional manner.
• Undertake work‑based activities independently with support from the team.
• Engage with the public, volunteers, landowners and other stakeholders.
• Ensure a high level of Health & Safety standards are maintained.
• Check and maintain Trust equipment, machinery and tools.
• Attend formal and informal training and develop relevant knowledge and skills (CPD) as appropriate.
• Deliver toolbox talks and other training to team members, where required.
• May be assigned to commercial projects or other catchment projects and may be required to carry out other duties from time to time commensurate with the level of the post.
• Attend team and project meetings as required.

Person Specification

Knowledge and Experience

• Previous experience of carrying out work with chainsaws, other hand tools and machinery.
• Experience of using various software from the MS Office suite.
• Experience of working outdoors in aquatic environments and remote locations.
• Maintaining arboricultural equipment such as chainsaws, brush cutters and other hand tools.
• Good understanding of industry Health and Safety standards and codes of practice.
• Experience of delivering tree planting, NFM, NBS, and habitat management schemes. (D)
• Qualification and experience of using plant machinery, in particular dumpers and excavators. (D)
• A background in river restoration, fisheries, arboriculture/forestry, ecology or construction. (D)
• Experience with The Construction (Design Management) Regulations (CDM, 2015). (D)

Skills and Competencies

• Self‑motivated and able to undertake tasks as instructed by the Team leader.
• Proactive and resourceful, showing initiative and working as a team to solve problems.
• Effective oral communication with the ability to build positive working relationships.
• Ability to use various online mapping software to check for TPO’s, statutory land uses and priority habitats and protected species.
• Basic understanding of aquatic and terrestrial habitats and ecology.
• Demonstrable experience of working with MS Office suite especially Word and Excel.
• Ability to travel to sites throughout the Southwest, which on occasions will be in remote locations.

Qualifications

• BTEC National Diploma, National Apprenticeship Scheme, BSc or similar qualification in countryside management, ecology or environmental science related discipline.
• B+E towing.
• First Aid at Work + Forestry. (D)
• An industry recognised H&S Qualification such as IOSH or similar. (D)
• Working to attain professional membership of industry organisation. (D)

Arboricultural Qualifications

• NPTC 201, 202, 203, (E) 206, 306, 308 (D)
• NPTC 301, 302, 307, 309 (D)
• MEWP (D)
• Traffic management and Banksman qualification. (D)
• LISS/CSCS card (D)
• CITB Site Safety Supervisor Training Scheme (SSSTS) (D)
• Plant and Dumper Qualification(s) (D)

The above are Essential criteria unless indicated as Desirable.