Position Type: Full-timeLocation: Regional Victoria (Central, Strathbogie Shire)Reports to: Field Ecologist.
Summary
The Field Ranger plays an important role in the Barbaloot Conservation Reserve's land management and conservation efforts. Working alongside a team of skilled environmental and operational professionals, the Field Ranger is responsible for assisting in the implementation of best-practice land management strategies, including pest and weed control, fire mitigation, habitat restoration, and infrastructure maintenance. This is a hands‐on role that requires a strong commitment to environmental stewardship, operational excellence, and safety in the field. The position supports Barbaloot's mission to restore and protect critical habitats, contributing to the long‐term success of conservation programs at Avenel and beyond.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
* Assist in the implementation of land management activities including pest animal control, weed management, and soil conservation programs, using best-practice ecological methods.
* Assist in bushfire mitigation through firebreak maintenance, fuel reduction, and wildfire response training, ensuring compliance with conservation fire management plans.
* Maintain and improve habitat by conducting track maintenance, erosion control, and habitat restoration, including removing redundant infrastructure and rehabilitating degraded areas.
* Monitor and maintain the predator-proof exclusion fence, addressing breaches, performing repairs, and implementing improvements such as installing extensions and collaring trees.
* Support infrastructure maintenance by managing boundary fencing, firebreaks, tracks, operational buildings, and ranger program assets to ensure functionality and safety.
* Operate and maintain machinery and tools, including chainsaws, brush cutters, and chemical applicators, performing pre‐start checks and routine servicing.
* Ensure compliance with workplace health and safety (WHS) protocols, including PPE use, risk assessments, and adherence to organisational policies and conservation regulations.
* Provide support for visitation activities, including hosting external guests, stakeholders, and potential partners.
* Work with external contractors and specialist volunteers on vertebrate pest control programs for species such as cats, foxes, and rabbits.
* Provide operational support to the site team, collaborating with the Property Overseer, and General Hand as required.
* Support ecological monitoring efforts, assisting the Field Ecologist with native animal trapping, GPS tagging, wildlife camera monitoring, and nest box maintenance.
* Contribute to continuous improvement by providing feedback on practices to enhance workplace safety, conservation outcomes, and operational efficiency.
* Other duties as required, consistent with the role and operational needs.
Work Environment
This role requires working in an outdoor environment under a variety of conditions, including exposure to extreme weather, uneven terrain, and remote locations. The Field Ranger must be comfortable working in environments with loud noises, dust, chemicals, and potential encounters with wildlife. Duties involve operating heavy machinery, power tools, and vehicles, requiring adherence to strict safety protocols. The role may also include physically demanding tasks such as lifting, bending, climbing, and extended periods of walking or standing.
Reporting Relationships
* Reports to the Field Ecologist, with occasional interaction with the Property Overseer.
* Role works in close collaboration with the property operations team.
Competencies
* Authentic: Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Exhibits trust and confidence in self and others; Supports others to perform well; Recognises the results of others; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed; Focused on team performance.
* Engaging Others: Writes clearly and informatively; Listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Speaks clearly and calmly in positive or negative situations; Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; Maintains confidentiality; Remains open to others' ideas and tries new things.
* Judgement: Contributes to alignment with Group mission, vision, values and strategy; Understands business implications of decisions; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgement.
* Reliable: Prioritises and completes work activities; Collaborates with others where required in planning, decision-making, facilitating and process improvement; Makes self available; Fosters quality focus; Treats others fairly and with respect and consideration.
* Action Management: Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Uses intuition and experience to complement available information in making decisions; Is willing and able to make timely decisions; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates attention to detail.
Qualifications and Experience
* A qualification or equivalent skills and experience in Environmental Science, Conservation Biology, Agriculture, Horticulture or similar.
* Valid driver's license.
* Other preferred qualifications: Agricultural Chemical User Permit. Current First Aid certification. Statement of Attainment in tractor operation, side‐by‐side vehicles, chainsaw use, and other similar equipment. Understanding of fire safety and management principles; including fire behaviour, controlled burns and firebreak construction. Welding certification.
Experience
* Background in collaborative team based working environments in agriculture, landscape or natural resource management, ecological restoration, and/or forestry and environmental planting projects.
* Experience in weed identification, weed eradication and pest control including chemical usage and fumigation.
* Demonstrated experience in fence management and repairs, including electric fences.
* Ability to use a computer for emails, calendar, basic MS applications, reporting, data collection and remote meetings.
* Available to work flexible hours/days if required.
* Demonstrated experience and knowledge of safe work practices, including the use of appropriate PPE.
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