Principal Conservation Scientist - West Africa

We have a vacancy for a Principal Conservation Scientist to lead work on ecosystem services and biodiversity in West Africa. This post, which will be based in the UK but requires travel, provides an exciting opportunity for a scientist with experience of tropical forest conservation science, ecosystem service valuation and spatially explicit scenario modelling use their scientific expertise to inform the delivery of sustainable livelihoods and tropical forest conservation in a global biodiversity hotspot under high threat. Joining the International Conservation Science team, you will work closely with International Operations and social science colleagues in RSPB and BirdLife partners and stakeholders in country. You will make a full contribution to the work of the International Conservation Science team, the wider Conservation Science department, and RSPB’s international programmes and work with country partners and through BirdLife.

What's the role about?

You will work initially with SCNL (BirdLife Liberia) on an EU-funded project to assess land management scenarios in the community lands of the Greater Gola Landscape, identifying which most effectively deliver sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity and ecosystem services in the same landscape. You will produce spatially explicit scenario models for economic benefits and costs of land use and trade-offs and synergies with biodiversity. These will conserve biodiversity and empower communities to make informed decisions about participation in policy initiatives like REDD+. You will provide the evidence needed for sustainable financing of forest conservation in the Greater Gola Landscape in Liberia and measurement of the impact of these schemes. You will also identify important knowledge gaps on forest and land use research for Liberia and design research to answer these gaps to ensure RSPB actions and projects are evidence-based.

This post is for two years fixed term, but with a strong possibility that the position will be extended if the post holder (supported by colleagues in International Operations and internal RSPB fund-raising colleagues), is successful in securing external funding for west African forest conservation research. This could be through science projects or as part of projects co designed with operations colleagues. If extended, you will support RSPB’s wider tropical forest and woodland conservation work in west Africa, with a focus on Guinean forests, developing and delivering a programme of work informed by an existing science plan, working at the nexus between biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services to underpin evidence-based forest conservation.

You will be expected to identify, build, and maintain an effective profile and relationships with BirdLife International and partners and universities, governments, and funders, so that collaboration is facilitated and we influence funding, policy and management.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• PhD in relevant subject, or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of how to provide strategic leadership on tropical forest conservation, including ecosystem service evaluation for the organisation.
• Demonstrable experience of raising external funding for science projects, particularly in applied conservation streams and working with multiple partners
• Broad and deep knowledge of West African/tropical forest species ecology and of ecosystem service valuation to answer novel questions at both practical and analytical levels.
• Project design to a robust scientific standard forecasting the necessary time scales, which could range from weeks to several years.
• Ability to communicate complex scientific principles and outcomes clearly to a range of non-scientist stakeholders through writing and advocacy to a wide range of audiences.
• Skilled use of packages for statistical and spatial data analyses, such as a high level of coding expertise in spatial packages in R or Python.
• Proven extensive experience working as a scientist internationally, leading multiple scientific research projects and managing budgets, staff, volunteers and students, and publishing peer-reviewed papers.
• Culturally sensitive and able to communicate and work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and colleagues with highly diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise.
• Experience of working in conservation or science in one or more low income countries.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Experience of on the ground training of scientists, ideally in Africa/lower income countries.
• Experience in developing multi stakeholder projects including partners from multiple countries.
• Experience of research on and into the process and outcomes of forest restoration.

This is a Fixed-Term role for 37.5 hours per week but we will consider flexible or part time working. The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 3rd November 2025. For further information please contact [email protected] 

As part of this application process you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.