CAREERS AT CHESTER ZOO

Estate Biodiversity Industry Placement

Job reference:001574

Salary:Unpaid Placement

Closing date:30/01/2026

Department:Field Programmes

Location:Chester

Employment type:Temporary

Hours Per Week:40

Job Description

Field Programmes – Estate Biodiversity Industry Placement – Full-time 12 month industrial placement commencing September 2026

Are you excited by the prospect of gaining invaluable work experience with one of Europe’s leading Conservation Zoos? This one-year placement provides experience within our Field Programmes Department at Chester Zoo, which facilitates, coordinates and develops field conservation projects. This placement will focus on habitat management and native species monitoring across the wider Zoo Estate, which is home to a wide range of habitats and some of the UK’s most protected species.What you’ll be doing... 

The placement will work alongside the wider Field Programmes Team, but predominantly within the Estate Biodiversity team who manage the Chester Zoo estate’s biodiversity areas. The Estate Biodiversity placement will include:

• Assisting with day-to-day practical habitat management activities including scrub clearance, coppicing, and hedge laying.
• Assisting with bird surveys, butterfly transects, great crested newt monitoring and other surveys on the Zoo Estate.
• Regular data management, reporting, writing of articles and involvement in other field programme projects as and when needed.
• Involvement in partnership activities, including collaboration with Record – The Local Environmental Record Centre for the Cheshire Region.
• Opportunity to focus on at least one specific project in relation to the current work in our conservation field programmes, often aligned with the data collected on the estate.

The Work Placement 

• The year in industry placement is for a period of up to 12 months commencing in September 2026
• Full Training with the Conservation & Science Teams
• Uniform provided, along with lunch vouchers for the days you attend 
• Monthly stipends of up to £120 per month may be payable based on appropriate expenses
• Full Time Hours (40 hours per week) alternatives can be discussed if you are successfully shortlisted

Our Requirements 

• A passion for in situ biodiversity conservation and its connection to ex situ work, demonstrated through previous work experience and related study
• Experience and interest in UK species conservation
• Ability to work outdoors in all weathers on challenging terrain.
• Highly organised, proactive in your approach to work and able to work independently as well as in a team, in the field and in the office.
• A desire to learn how science can be used to help support and inform best practice in field conservation projects 
• Experience of using Microsoft Office software such as Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, and ideally GIS software. 
• Driving licence preferred

This opportunity is only available to those studying at a UK university on a degree programme with an industrial year.

All industrial placements are full-time voluntary positions for 12 months, commencing September 2026. Although no direct animal contact takes place in this role, you will attend monthly workshops to gain wider knowledge of modern zoo management.

This role is based entirely at Chester Zoo with no overseas travel.

We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse organisation and encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Interested in applying? 

To apply for this opportunity, click the ‘apply for job’ button on this page where you’ll need to submit a CV and covering letter detailing your qualifications, interest in the position and your university and degree programme
As part of your application, we would also like you to create a short, 2-minute video answering 2 questions. Further details on this will be included within the application form.

Do you want to find out more about these placements? Speak to our experts? Register for our Zoom webinar on 13/1/26 at 5pm!
Register in advance for this meeting:https://chesterzoo-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/2jnUMKa4SeqvybRhQv56Kg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.