Starting salary: £29,622 + Islands Allowance of £2610 pro rata, per year
Contract type: Permanent
Grade: 2
Location: Fort Charlotte, Harbour St, Lerwick, Shetland
Working Hours: Full Time – 1820 hours per year (annualised hours).
Interviews: To be held in person at Fort Charlotte on 29th July 2026
Thank you for your interest in the post of Multiskilled Tradesperson with Historic Environment Scotland, based at the Fort Charlotte Monument Conservation Unit (MCU) Depot, Lerwick, Shetland. This is a permanent position.
The successful applicant will as part of the Monument Conservation Unit will have responsibility for the on-going implementation of conservation, routine maintenance and presentation tasks of Historic Environment Scotland (HES) monuments within the Shetland District Area.
Benefits of joining us at Historic Environment Scotland
- Enrolment onto a Civil Service Pension scheme – 28% employer contribution
- 25 days annual leave, pro-rata (increasing to 30 days after 3 years) + 11.5 public holidays
- Reimbursement for relevant professional subscriptions
- Support for further education and personal development
- Study leave for work related courses
- Flexible working hours (where appropriate)
- Free entry to all of our properties (with up to three guests)
- Free entry to English Heritage, Manx and Cadw properties
Key Responsibilities of this role
• Conducting conservation and routine maintenance works to HES monuments district wide. This involves all forms of traditional building maintenance on monuments in Shetland as and when required.
• Completing Multi-Trade Repairs within areas of competence.
• Investigating Maintenance Issues: identifying faults and determining effective solutions
• Ensuring Health and Safety Compliance: adhering to COSHH, RIDDOR and workplace safety regulations
• Using Digital Systems: updating tasks and reports using tablets and online tools
• Managing Workloads: prioritising varied tasks and working efficiently under pressure
• As a multi-skilled Tradesperson, you will take forward multi-trade repairs, respond to maintenance issues, and uphold health and safety, COSHH and security standards.
• Promoting traditional conservation techniques and methods whilst conducting challenging and diverse conservation projects / works.
• Operating electrical and petrol-powered hand tools and machinery to facilitate the works.
• Complying with and promoting HES Health and Safety Policy.
• Throughout your employment with HES, you will be required to attend training courses identified to assist the work, or to comply with health and safety legislation, including First Aid (training as required, this may require overnight stays away from home).
Key requirements of the role:
In order for you to be successful in this post, we will be looking for you to submit a cover letter which addresses how you can meet each of the essential and desirable criteria (in up to 1,200 words), using examples of where you have demonstrated these criteria previously. Please ensure that you provide real life examples for each of the criteria to be considered for this post. You can use examples of how you have met this criteria from your work life, home life, education or volunteer experience.
Essential:
• You must be an experienced multi-skilled/general builder with relevant building trade qualification to SVQ 3.
• You should have a proven knowledge of traditional building crafts. A good understanding and interest in current conservation practices and techniques relating to historic buildings and monuments.
• Good understanding and practical experience of the conservation, presentation and repair of historic monuments and/or listed buildings.
• Good all-round understanding and practical experience of using traditional materials.
• Good knowledge of Health & Safety at Work (Responsibilities & Practice).
• Full current driving licence
We are dedicated to building a workforce which is reflective of diversity within Scotland. We warmly welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, regardless of age, race, gender or gender identity, religious beliefs, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or neurodiversity. In support of our Gaelic Language Plan, we welcome applications from Gaelic speakers.
We want every candidate to have the best chance to succeed during the recruitment process. If you require your application in an alternative format, please reach out to us via email at [email protected] or call our Head Office at 0131 668 8600 and speak to a member of our People Team.
Please note that, at this time, we are unfortunately unable to provide sponsorship as part of the recruitment process, therefore you must have current right to work in the UK to be considered for a post.
