Unusual roles within the countryside, conservation, wildlife and ecology sectors.

Not everything falls neatly into separate categories. There are many Project Officer roles which cover many different aspects of the sector, running projects from inception to completion could include the initial funding applications and feasibility studies, the on the ground project work, staff and volunteer recruitment, publicity, record keeping and depending on the project ecology surveys, community involvement, wildlife research, the possibilities are endless. A Project Officer need to be prepared for a wide range of scenarios and fulfill many roles over the course of multi-year project.

There are other single purpose roles that don't fit comfortably into any specific sector, here are a few that CJS has advertised over the years:

• Helvellyn Weather Assessor which involves ascending the mountain daily to assess the conditions at the summit and on route.
• Lighthouse Keeper - not really a light house keeper but more of a role to observe the resident seals.
• Field Research Dog Handler (the ed wanted this one!) - taking a dog trained to seek out scents from certain mammals as part of fieldwork research project.
• Flying Shepherd (we had the giggles over this one!) - not a shepherd in a helicopter but a person to care for a herd of sheep used for conservation grazing including moving them across several sites.
• Isolated Teacher &/or childminder - a teacher was required for an remote community accessible by boat or helicopter only and surrounded by rugged landscape.
• Underwater Photographer - required to document the progress of one specific marine project.
• Coracle builder -  for a forest school summer programme.
• Pest Control Officer - no not a pied piper or even a rat catcher but a falconer to assist with bird scaring operations in a city centre. 

Jobs and employment

Browse current vacancies advertised with CJS: start here.

To gain the experience required volunteering is a good way to test some of the more unusual areas before committing to a longer term role.

See current volunteering opportunities advertised with CJS here.

Skills, training and CPD.

The skills and qualifications required are as varied as the vacancies themselves. the one thing they all required was a love the outdoors, a good sense of humour and level of fitness.

Browse through the Training Directory to find courses in some of the more unusual skills to add a touch of je ne sais quoi to your CV.

Information and in depth articles

Check out the features section here