Research Assistants / Senior Research Assistants
RSPB
We are delighted to bring the details of our seasonal Research Assistants and Senior Research Assistants vacancies on a variety of projects within Great Britain in 2026.
Full details of the roles currently available can be found in the Additional Information document on our website.
All roles will involve carrying out agreed programmes of ecological or social science surveys, research work or species recovery work, alone or as part of a small survey team. Most roles will require previous survey or field research experience and excellent bird identification skills.
Every year, we also recruit some roles that require particular specialist skills, such as bird ringing / handling, or a high degree of botanical knowledge. Please clearly state if you have these skills on your application.
Please note that these roles are subject to change depending on confirmation of funding or new funding becoming available.
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 required.
When making your application please be sure to state clearly at the start of your application which roles you would have a preference for - we have numbered the list for your convenience.
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.
This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.
The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. These roles are covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
About RSPB
The RSPB is a charity for the conservation of birds and nature. We bring people together who love birds and other wildlife, and who want to take action to restore the health and diversity of the natural world. We carry out conservation on a large scale, protect and restore habitats, and save species from extinction. We’re living in a nature and climate emergency, and we won’t stop whilst the threats persist.
We believe our work makes a real difference to the world we live in. It takes a great team to
save nature and we need a wide range of skills to make it happen.
As an RSPB employee, you will be helping to save nature every time you come to work. There’s never been a more important time to protect our wildlife and wild places, so we want to make sure you feel rewarded for everything you help us to achieve.
The RSPB is a charity for the conservation of birds and nature. We bring people together who love birds and other wildlife, and who want to take action to restore the health and diversity of the natural world. We carry out conservation on a large scale, protect and restore habitats, and save species from extinction. We’re living in a nature and climate emergency, and we won’t stop whilst the threats persist. We believe our work makes a real difference to the world we live in. It takes a great team to save nature and we need a wide range of skills to make it happen. As an RSPB employee, you will be helping to save nature every time you come to work. There’s never been a more important time to protect our wildlife and wild places, so we want to make sure you feel rewarded for everything you help us to achieve.
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