Closing Date: 31/07/2026
Location/Division: BZG
Salary: £10,483
Contracted Hours: 15 hours per week
Location: Bristol Zoo Gardens site
Contract Type: Fixed term contract - August 2026-April 2029
Bristol Zoological Society, the conservation and education charity that runs and operates Bristol Zoo Project (previously Wild Place Project), higher education programmes and conservation projects across the world, is recruiting a Learning and Engagement Officer for its native species project Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife. This is an exciting opportunity to join the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife team at Bristol Zoological Society.
If you would like the advert in an alternative format, or would like to talk about how we can adjust the interview process to best support you, please contact [email protected]
We are committed to employing from all areas of the community, we value equality and diversity across our workforce and aim to ensure our staff is reflective of the diversity of the community. In support of this commitment, we welcome applications from the Global Majority.
The Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife team delivers high quality engagement to the people of Bristol on the wealth of amazing wildlife right on our doorstep on the Downs and in the Avon Gorge. This is an opportunity to gain experience delivering to a wide range of people as well gaining knowledge of our local native wildlife and playing a part in influencing the future of these incredible habitats.
Your role will encompass planning and delivering to school children, play-schemes and other groups outside on the Downs during the spring/summer/autumn months of the year. In addition, you will help in the planning and delivery of engagement with the general public of all ages through discovery sessions, holiday sessions and community events.
You will have experience in delivering wildlife engagement to primary and preferably secondary aged students as well as a deep passion for conservation and British wildlife. You will expect to spend many days during the spring, summer and autumn outdoors, delivering to groups on the Downs and in the Avon Gorge. Other days might be spent in the office planning, developing, carrying out administrative tasks, surveying on site or promoting the project.
You will need to be proactive, knowledgeable, approachable, computer literate and enjoy responding to a wide variety of ages and audiences. You should be equally happy leading a high-quality session to a school group as you are joining a bird survey; spending a day engaging with the public at the Festival of Nature or learning how to update the project’s website. Core hours are two days in the week but there are times you will be asked to work an evening or weekend, with time off taken in lieu.
With a new strategy in place to create a world-class Bristol Zoo and conservation and sustainability at its heart, the new Bristol Zoo Project will offer spacious, modern facilities, significant growth in our conservation and education work, and an innovative and exciting visitor experience.
The role will help to realise our vision of saving wildlife together, and you will be involved in supporting our transformation programme – driving visitor numbers at Bristol Zoo Project and excitement as plans for the new Zoo progress. We know that everyone here at the Society can help us work alongside our communities, look after the environment, and contribute to our inclusive culture.
As a Disability Confident Employer if you identify yourself as disabled under the Equality Act 2010 definition and can demonstrate that you meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification, we will guarantee an interview.
Your work-life balance is important to us, and we’re happy to support flexible working – be that through your working pattern, or hybrid working for certain roles. We just need to ensure that you have some time to connect with the rest of your team and are able to deliver the responsibilities of your role.
Benefits include:
- 30 days of annual leave (Pro-rated, inclusive of bank hols) increasing with length of service with an option to buy up to 5 days’ additional holiday
- Access to our company pension scheme
- Enhanced family leave – supporting you with the important milestones in your life with enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
- Access to a range of resources to support your physical, mental and financial health, including access to our Employee Assistance Programme
- Death in service benefit (x3 salary)
- Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loans supporting you to spread the cost of environmentally friendly transport options.
- Other flexible benefits including access to a health cash plan to help you with everyday healthcare costs
- Access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of retailers to help make your money go further including gym discounts
- Hybrid working for certain roles, to allow you to work where you work best - we’re happy to discuss flexible working options for all roles.
- Option for Lifestyle Break after one years’ service
- Ongoing training and development opportunities, allowing you to reach your full potential
To apply for this role please sign into our recruitment portal and upload your CV and cover letter explaining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria detailed in the person specification in the job description.
The closing date for applications is 31 July 2026. Interviews will be held on 5 August 2026.
To assist your preparation if you are invited to an interview, we ask questions based on our behaviour competencies described in the job description and look for evidence of how you demonstrate these behaviours.
Please note: We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out on this opportunity.
Diversity Statement
Our vision for the Society to be an employer of choice, that is inclusive and attracts and retains the most talented people, who all work together to sustain our future. As such we welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our employee lifecycle processes, including recruitment, are designed to prevent discrimination against our people regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, disability status, race, or any other aspect which makes them unique.
