Jobs

Terrestrial Ecosystems 

Terrestrial Ecosystems is an environmental consultancy and wildlife research company, that specialises in terrestrial vertebrate fauna. We work in collaboration with other industry specialists to provide flora and vegetation, and short-range endemic (SRE) invertebrate and subterranean fauna survey and management programs.

Our focus is on clients who want quality outcomes, applied, innovative and science-based solutions and not simply the cheapest product. Our business focus can be summed up as ‘a scientific approach to providing cost-effective, quality outcomes in a timely manner’. Maintaining our high standards and an ethical approach is what sets our business apart from many others.

What we do:

  • Terrestrial fauna surveys and assessments
  • Feral and pest animal control and management (i.e. rabbits, fox, wild dogs, cat, birds, fish)
  • Fauna management plans
  • Conservation detection dog
  • Fauna relocation, spotting, salvage, handling and management programs
  • Fauna monitoring programs
  • Black-Cockatoo habitat assessments
  • Targeted conservation significant fauna surveys and management
  • Chemical capture and sedation of fauna using tranquillising darts (mostly kangaroos)
  • Bird management
  • Vertebrate fauna research
  • Peer review of fauna reports

Current employment opportunities – Senior Vertebrate Zoologist/Ecologist

We are actively recruiting a zoologist or experienced senior zoologist. As a specialist environmental consulting firm which has a niche business model of providing threatened species management and feral and pest fauna management the role offers excellent opportunities to work across a diverse range of projects throughout WA.

The successful applicant can expect;

  • a friendly, professional workplace that leads the consulting industry in science-based project delivery;
  • opportunity to gain experience working across WA;
  • flexible working conditions and family friendly conditions;
  • strong company ethics and values; and
  • competitive salary available – negotiable depending on experience and qualifications.

Submitting an application

Should you have any questions, then Dr Scott Thompson can be contacted on 0407 385 239 or email. When applying please succinctly address each of the essential and desirable criteria and email the applications to Scott.

Essential criteria

  • A degree or higher degree in vertebrate zoology, ecology or equivalent;
  • Experience in vertebrate fauna surveys and assessments;
  • A strong interest and working knowledge in vertebrate fauna and/or feral pest management;
  • Data management and report writing skills;
  • A willingness to work hard and learn;
  • Competency in the use of MS Office and basic statistical analysis techniques;
  • Current First Aid Certificate;
  • Manual driver’s licence; and
  • Construction white card.

Desirable criteria

  • Experience in remote and metropolitan field work.
  • Knowledge of fauna impact assessments in the mining and land development sectors;
  • Project management skills;
  • High level verbal and written communication skills and analytical skills relating to fauna conservation, wildlife management or research;
  • Field experience in the management of feral and pest fauna;
  • Certificate III in vertebrate pest management or equivalent;
  • WA firearms licence or experience in working with firearms;
  • Experience with scientific publication, and conference and workshop presentations; and

Operational

Staff are employed as permanent or and casual employees. Permanent staff interested in feral pest management are given the opportunity to undertake the Cert III (Rural and Environmental Pest Management), which when completed, enables the person to register and obtain a Pest Management Technician Licence (LPMT).

All staff use a home office. Permanent staff are provided with a laptop, two screens, and an allowance for phone and internet use. Our registered business address and equipment storage are both located in Mount Claremont.

When required, field work may involve weekends or early starts to clear traps and as we have a diverse client list of mining, residential, government and infrastructure proponents, the work will be a mixture of urban, regional and remote location projects.

Permanent staff work 37.5 hrs per week, and any worked hours above that are accrued as time-in-lieu which can be taken or paid out. Casual staff are paid on an hourly basis.

We endeavour to provide a flexible and family-friendly work environment. We have no set core working hours for reporting and administrative tasks and have a commitment to providing a genuine work-life balance for staff. We endeavour to organise project work around staff requirements.

In a bit more detail

Fauna salvage/fauna spotter-catcher programs

Most of these programs are in the greater Perth metropolitan area and focus on land development projects. We often trap for fauna prior to vegetation clearing and then provide a zoologist on-site during the vegetation clearing program to catch and translocate whatever vertebrate fauna is disturbed and likely to be injured and killed.

Basic vertebrate fauna risk assessments

This is the most basic of the site surveys for a vertebrate fauna EIA assessment to support exploration, mining or land development applications. Typically, there is a site survey/assessment which is followed by a desktop review of the available data and a report is drafted for the client. These are routine assessments, and mostly done for mining developments across Western Australia.

Detailed and targeted fauna surveys

Detailed and targeted surveys are undertaken to support mining or land development applications when the potential impacts are either likely to be significant or impacts on vertebrate fauna are unknown based on the available data. We typically work within the guidelines of the Environmental Protection Authority when undertaking these surveys. These surveys can be undertaken in either the greater Perth metropolitan area or in remote locations. These surveys are followed by the drafting of a comprehensive report.

Black-Cockatoo tree and habitat assessments

We have three species of Black-Cockatoos that are either listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered, and regularly undertake habitat and trees assessments for these species in accordance with Commonwealth and State government guidelines.

Fauna monitoring

On-going fauna monitoring programs have an established survey protocol which are implemented and a report is written at the conclusion of the survey.

Feral pest management programs

We undertake feral and pest animal management and control across Western Australia. This involves trapping, baiting and shooting programs for feral cats, pest birds, rabbits, foxes, wild dogs and large feral herbivores. We occasionally undertake feral fish reduction/eradication programs.

Conservation detection dog

We are the only environmental consultancy in Perth that owns and operates a conservation detection dog. The dog has been trained to find Bilbies, Northern Quoll, cats, foxes, South-western Snake-necked turtles and Western Swamp Tortoises.

Peer review reports

We are occasionally requested to peer review the work of other consultants.

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