RSPB Team Member (Data Assistant (Marine Section))

**Applications now closed due to a high volume of applicants. **

Why we want you The RSPB is the UK's largest nature conservation charity! Join our fantastic volunteers who are helping to inspire everyone to give nature a home and secure a healthy environment for wildlife. We will help you gain skills and give you an invaluable insight into our essential work. We need your help to digitise invaluable historic data on the UK’s smallest seabird: The European Storm Petrel . Dr Mark Bolton, Principal Conservation scientist within the marine section of RSPB has been overseeing work on Storm Petrels for several decades and there is now a need to ensure the data and other information in the field notebooks in his personal collection is uploaded to a digital repository where it can be accessed by RSPB researchers and partners. Some of these data will then be shared with the University of Gloucester. Some of these data has been collected by Shetland Ringing Group so you may need to liase with them as part of the volunteer role.

What you will be doing

• You will be working alongside Conservation Scientists within the RSPB’s Marine Section.
• Initially you will be scanning key pages from notebooks and other paper records from Storm Petrel studies although some of this may be done for you.
• Once the data has been scanned, you will type up the scanned data into Excel and perform some basic analyses. This phase of the work can be done remotely from home if preferred.
• Digitising paper copies of scientific papers on seabird ecology and conservation.
• If desired you can work from an RSPB office, preferably Scottish HQ in Edinburgh.

The skills you need

• A methodical approach.
• Good computer skills, particularly the use of Microsoft Office including Excel.

What's in it for you Hours are flexible in terms of the number of hours or days per week you wish to volunteer. When you work is up to you but we request that once a week you are available for a short meeting someone with else in the team within office hours. As part of the role, you will have access to RSPB’s extensive catalogue of online training resources. You will also have the opportunity to learn more about the RSPB’s work with seabirds. A networking opportunity: you will be have opportunities to meet colleagues in the Marine Section and other RSPB departments. . Free access to RSPB reserves while volunteering and the satisfaction of knowing you’re making a real difference.