Project Assistant

Location of job: Hybrid working - home and Bristol office based, with regular travel throughout the Bristol Avon catchment.
Post holder reports to: Catchment Restoration Project Manager
River Engagement Officer Salary: £26,709 per annum (9% employer pension contribution)
Position type: permanent position
Working arrangements: Full-time role (37.5 hours per week) with a flexible working approach. 25 days Annual Leave plus bank holidays and Christmas closure.

Help us restore rivers, restore nature and make a difference

Do you have a passion for rivers and nature conservation? Are you looking for a varied role where you can get outdoors, work with communities and help deliver practical action for our rivers?

Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART) is looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Project Assistant to join our growing team.

BART is an ambitious environmental charity working across the Bristol Avon catchment to restore rivers and create healthier landscapes for people and wildlife. Our growing pipeline of projects means we are looking for someone who wants to play a hands-on role in delivering positive change across the catchment.

This is a varied role, offering the opportunity to work across a wide range of projects. No two weeks are likely to be the same. You could be carrying out a river survey in the morning, helping deliver habitat restoration in the afternoon and leading a volunteer river clean at the weekend.

Working alongside experienced project staff, you will support projects spanning river restoration, natural flood management, water quality, fisheries, land management, community engagement, education and citizen science.

You will have opportunities to develop your skills and experience across a broad range of conservation activities, with responsibility increasing as your confidence and experience grow.

What you’ll be doing

The role will involve a mixture of field-based, project and community work, including:

• Carrying out catchment and river surveys, including ecological, water quality, fisheries and Natural Flood Management surveys, with support from senior staff.
• Supporting the delivery of practical river and habitat restoration projects.
• Working with landowners, farmers, volunteers, schools, community groups and other partners.
• Organising and delivering community activities, events, workshops and river cleans.
• Supporting citizen science and education activities.
• Helping deliver land management and nature recovery projects.
• Developing maps, survey materials and other project resources using GIS and mapping tools.
• Supporting desktop research and contributing to project reports.
• Recruiting, supporting and mentoring volunteers.
• Helping identify funding opportunities and prepare applications for smaller projects.
• Representing BART positively with partners, communities and the public.
• Providing project and administrative support to senior members of the team.

About you

We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic about nature and wants to make a practical contribution to improving the health of our rivers.

You don't need to know everything about rivers or their restoration. What matters most is your passion, curiosity, willingness to learn and ability to work positively with people.

You will need:

• A genuine passion for nature conservation and an understanding of the environmental pressures facing our rivers.
• A degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant discipline, such as river restoration, freshwater ecology, hydrology or the wider water sector.
• The confidence to work with a wide range of people, including landowners, volunteers, schools, community groups and partner organisations.
• The ability to organise and lead elements of projects, surveys or group activities.
• An interest in environmental fieldwork and the ability to undertake walkover surveys safely and effectively.
• Experience of GIS or other mapping tools.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate with different audiences.
• Good organisational and time-management skills.
• The ability to work independently, use your initiative and solve problems.
• A willingness to work outdoors in all weather conditions.
• An understanding of the importance of health and safety and following agreed procedures.
• The ability to manage small budgets and demonstrate good value for money.
• A willingness to undertake relevant training and develop new skills.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle with appropriate business insurance.

It would be great if you also have

• Knowledge of the Bristol Avon catchment.
• Experience of environmental surveying, such as habitat, water quality or land management surveys.
• Experience of organising or managing volunteers or community groups.
• Experience working for a charity or within the public or voluntary sector.

We are particularly interested in people who can demonstrate initiative, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. If you don't meet every desirable criterion but believe you have the skills, attitude and passion to make a difference, we would still encourage you to apply.

What we offer

You will join a growing, ambitious and collaborative team working on practical projects that make a real difference for rivers, wildlife and local communities.

The role provides the opportunity to develop a broad range of conservation and project management skills, working alongside experienced colleagues across the Bristol Avon catchment.

As your skills and experience develop, there will be opportunities to take on increasing responsibility and contribute to the Trust's growing programme of work.

Where you'll work

The role is hybrid, with a blend of office work and home working with regular travel to a variety of locations, throughout the Bristol Avon catchment.

The work is varied and will involve time outdoors, including occasional full-day walkover surveys and practical river restoration activities in all weather conditions. You will need to be physically fit enough to undertake this type of fieldwork safely.

Some evening, weekend and public holiday work will occasionally be required to support community activities, events and project delivery.

We are committed to working in an environmentally responsible way and expect all staff to consider sustainability, resource efficiency and value for money in their work.

Closing date: Midnight, Sunday 25th October 2026

Please note that, due to limited resources, we will only contact candidates who are invited to interview.

Thank you for your interest in joining the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust. We look forward to hearing from you.