Get out to Sea with ORCA!
2x Wildlife Education Officers required
Organisation: ORCA (Organisation Cetacea)
Work type: Short-term paid contract
Closing date: 25th January 2010
Interviews: Week commencing 8th February 2010)
Website: www.orcaweb.org.uk
Post 1: Senior Wildlife Education Officer
Salary: £1,400 per month (£16,800) per annum pro-rata)
Contract Period: 1st March - 30th September 2010
Hours: First month full time, land-based.
During ferry season, 2 week shifts at sea out of every 4.
Post 2: Wildlife Education Officer
Salary: £1,167 per month (£14,000 per annum pro-rata)
Contract Period: 1st April – 30th September 2010
Hours: During ferry season, 2 week shifts at sea out of every 4.
Responsible to: ORCA and DFDS Seaways
Job Titles and locations:
Two ORCA Wildlife Education Officers (WEO) are required to work on the
DFDS Seaways Newcastle-Amsterdam route operating throughout summer
2009. The posts are:
1. One
Senior Wildlife Education Officer
required to work for seven months from 1st March – 30th September. The
first month will be spent land-based developing the project and from
April 1st onboard Newcastle – Amsterdam (Holland) ferry with DFDS
Seaways.
2. One
Wildlife Education Officer required
to work for six months from 1st April – 30th September onboard
Newcastle – Amsterdam (Holland) ferry with DFDS Seaways. Please note
that the successful candidate may need to a attend training course in
the last week of March as well.
ORCA and the importance of our Wildlife Education Officers
ORCA is the marine conservation charity dedicated to forging links
between people and the sea. ORCA is committed to the study of cetaceans
(whales, dolphins and porpoises) and promoting their conservation
through enthusing, inspiring and educating others.
ORCA has been promoting wildlife watching and research onboard
ferries since 1996, developing a network of whale and dolphin survey
routes and educational platforms to raise awareness of the importance
of the marine environment. Achieving charitable status ten years ago in
2000, ORCA has been working in partnership with DFDS Seaways and other
ferry and cruise operators for several years, developing research,
education and conservation projects. ORCA is now looking for hard
working, conservation-minded people with excellent communication skills
to fill the required positions, which are pivotal to the charity’s core
work.
Details of the posts
Each WEO will aim to:
1 Enhance the green credentials of the ferry company.
2 Provide a new dimension to the entertainment available for both adult and child passengers.
3 Provide an educational service that will encourage a better
understanding of the living sea as an environment and resource, the
importance of the DFDS Seaways/ORCA partnership
4 Create significant additional publicity by alerting press and
the public to this innovative resource, as well as some of the unusual
wildlife encounters that will result.
5 Actively promote ORCA membership, sell merchandise and encourage donations.
This will be achieved by offering the following opportunities available
daily on board the DFDS Seaways ferry MS King of Scandinavia during the
main ferry season:
1 Auditorium presentation:
Enlivened and fun talks about whales, dolphins and seabirds, with a
strong emphasis on audience participation. Three separate one hour
presentations will be shown during each cruise.
2 Children’s story-telling and activities: An opportunity to enthral the younger generation with stories about the sea, and activities using recycled materials.
3 Wildlife watching (weather dependent):
WEO will assist the public with spotting, identifying and discussing
the birds, whales, dolphins, porpoises and seals present on this route.
4 The ORCA Wildlife Information Centre:
The WEO will run a wildlife information desk on board the ferry at
specified times, selling merchandise, giving information and explaining
exhibits in the centre.
Senior Wildlife Education Officer
In addition to the above activities, the Senior Wildlife Education
Officer (whose employment will run from one month prior to the Wildlife
Education Officer), will be responsible for planning the above
activities, sourcing equipment and resources, overseeing merchandise
stocks and ordering, offering support and guidance to the Wildlife
Education Officer and first-line liaison with DFDS Seaways, initiating
and maintaining links with relevant press contacts.
Requirements
Suitable candidates will be skilled educators with a passion for,
and knowledge of the marine environment. Knowledge of whales, dolphins
and seabirds, is considered an advantage.
The post-holders should be confident of being able to work at sea, and outside of normal working hours.
Excellent presentation skills and good command of the English language,
both spoken and written, are a prerequisite. Whilst not imperative, a
level of understanding of spoken Danish and Dutch languages may be an
advantage.
The ability and willingness to work with the public, especially
young people, to enthuse and excite them about the marine environment
is paramount. Suitable candidates will be self-starters, able to work
under sometimes difficult conditions and with very little supervision.
A recognised degree in a relevant area would also be an advantage.
Applications
If you are interested in either of these positions, please email
your current CV with a covering letter detailing which position you are
interested in and why you think you would be the ideal candidate, to
Stephen Marsh, ORCA Development Manager at [log in to unmask]
to arrive no later than 5pm on January 25th 2010. Please put ‘ORCA
Wildlife Education Officer’ in the subject line of your email.
All applications will be acknowledged and those selected for
interview will be contacted on Thursday February 1st 2010, with
interviews taking place week commencing February 8th 2010. Those chosen
for interview will be considered for either position and CRB checks
will be need to be undertaken on the successful candidates.
ORCA is a registered charity. Number 1098765
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