Graduate River Restoration Support Officer

Thames21’s purpose is to deliver increasingly resilient and healthy rivers and landscapes that are closer to their natural state with an abundance of fish and wildlife, empowering and working with people to bring multiple benefits to the natural environment, to individuals and communities. In recent years we have significantly up-scaled our planning and delivery of river restoration works and in 2020/21 we restored 5km of rivers. In the next 5 years we intend to continue to expand this work, and by 2027 we will improve 15km of river habitat annually.

To enable this we are looking for a committed, self-motivated and technically capable graduate looking to build a career in the environmental industry, starting as a River Restoration Support Officer.

If you have a strong interest in river/wetland ecology, have studied rivers, their restoration and have a grasp of the techniques used to restore rivers you may be perfect for this position.

Your role is to work with the Thames21 River Restoration Team, carry out field work, delivering nature based solutions across river catchments, working with a variety of stakeholders and running events with volunteers and local groups. Other additional requirements may include project development, citizen science to support delivery, as well as oral presentations and reporting.

This role will strongly support the implementation of Thames21’s mission. The selected candidate will be part of a successful and dynamic environmental charity, as well as part of a committed team. You will have the chance to input, help develop our goals, and make a real difference to the health of London’s waterways.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Work with Thames21’s River Restoration Manager, Thames21’s Head of Improving Rivers, as well as other Thames21 officers, stakeholders, to develop and deliver river and wetland restoration projects throughout the areas we work.
• Support the RR team to obtain all necessary permissions to deliver the projects, potentially including flood risk activity permits and planning permission.
• Work outside in a riverside environment in a variety of weathers – alone, with team members, with volunteers and other professionals.
• Support, co-ordinate and deliver a series of river habitat and floodplain improvements, including community-led river restoration activities.
• Support, co-ordinate and deliver volunteering events.
• Help to organize and transport of equipment to/from our offices and restoration sites.
• Occasionally sharing project updates and results in oral presentations to stakeholders and catchment partnerships.
• In partnership with others, use a range of monitoring tools to record and quantify the impact of different activities.
• Help to write feasibility studies for selected sites.
• Regular co-ordination with Thames21’s Communications Team to ensure key milestones are recognised and publicised.
• Maintain clear records of progress, ensure all administration and statistical information is kept, and regularly upload information onto the Thames21 database.
• Work with Thames21 colleagues to develop and implement Thames21’s 5 year plan.
• Adopt Thames21 core values.

Fixed term contract - 35 hours per week for 1 year, extension likely.

To Apply

For more information, please download the job description and person specification and visit the Thames21 website.

• Deadline for completed applications is the 12th of May 2023 at Midnight.
• Interviews will be held on the week commencing the 29th of May 2023.

Please email your CV and covering letter to [email protected].