Off-grid Scottish island 'paradise' offering wildlife monitoring job with £32k salary
Scots city-slickers or those itching for more peace and quiet in their lives may have entertained thoughts of upping sticks and moving to a more isolated part of the country.
Social media, rising urban populations, and the ever-present stresses of daily life may have us dreaming about ditching our phones or just shunning the status quo for a more sedentary life.
If that is you, then good news, as a job opportunity has arisen to monitor wildlife on an off-grid Scottish island "paradise", offering a salary of £32k.
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NatureScot, the nature agency of the Scottish Government, is on the hunt for a seasonal officer for Noss, a small, previously inhabited island in the Shetland Isles.
The entire island serves as a nature reserve and hosts an internationally significant seabird colony, including gannets, razorbills, puffins and guillemots.
The location is also recognised for its population of great skua, a globally rare bird species known as "bonxies" in Shetland.
This term originates from an old Norse word meaning "dumpy", likely referring to the bird's robust build. With 400 pairs residing on Noss, it ranks as the fifth largest colony of its kind worldwide, as per NatureScot.
The role's responsibilities are aplenty. You will be on hand to monitor the seabirds, operate a small inflatable ferry that travels to and from the island, and welcome visitors to the reserve.
Curious about what the digs will be like? Accommodation is provided on the island for the seasonal role, which runs from April to September's end, and will be shared with another reserve officer.
The accommodation is basic but comfortable and entirely off-grid, says NatureScot reserve manager Juan Brown, who formerly worked as a seasonal officer on Noss.
Speaking to The Scotsman, he said: "When I did that job, I absolutely loved it. You are completely off-grid, so there's no mains water or electricity. But there are solar panels and a wind turbine, which you can use for charging things like laptops and phones. It's also gas cooking and gas refrigeration. So it is basic, but perfectly comfortable."
If you're short on bread and milk, jump on a short ferry ride from Noss to the neighbouring island of Bressay, and then drive half an hour to another short ferry ride to Lerwick, the main town on Shetland, for a food shop.
The job may sound very complicated, but there are three key skills required. Firstly, people skills for when visitors come to the island, secondly, some former bird monitoring experience, preferably seabirds, and lastly, boat handling.
If temporary repairs are required on the island, the ideal candidate would have some practical experience behind them. Aside from that, if you love nature and could cope with living in isolation, the job could be up your street.
"It's a lovely island," Brown insisted. "There are beautiful beaches with that turquoise water, but also the 180m cliffs, which are the highlight of the island and host the gannet population.
"The puffins on the island are really tame as well and they're always a favourite," Brown added. "When visitors to the island leave, you end up having this paradise island to yourself."
The job includes a salary of £32,000. Applications must be sent in to NatureScot by midnight on February 3.
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