Seasonal Tutors Wanted

Can you help people build their skills in natural history? We’re looking for seasonal course tutors to inspire others about local wildlife.

About this opportunity

NHSN wants to ensure that as many people as possible have the chance to build their skills in natural history. Throughout the year, we run a busy programme of natural history courses on topics relating to North East nature. From wildlife identification to art, these help people feel connected to local nature, improve their field skills and learn about wildlife.

We’re looking for enthusiastic tutors to engage with groups of all abilities and educate them about our local environment. Courses are fully flexible, taking place online, indoors, or in the field, and are held seasonally throughout the year. From one-day workshops for beginners to multi-week courses for enthusiasts, these are fully customisable and planned with support from the NHSN staff team.

Bookings, administration, and communication with attendees are handled internally meaning tutors can focus on what matters most – delivering inspiring courses on subjects which they’re passionate about.

As an NHSN Course Tutor, you’ll use your knowledge and experience of wildlife and the local area to plan and deliver exciting opportunities for local naturalists, from beginners to natural history enthusiasts. We’re particularly interested in tutors with skills in the following areas:

  • Ornithology
  • Mammals
  • Fungi
  • Botany
  • Butterflies
  • Bryophytes & lichens
  • Art, sketching, and nature journaling
  • Ecological surveying

This list is not exhaustive and if you have skills in another area, we would love to hear from you. Examples of past courses can be found here.

Time commitment

This role is fully flexible. Courses may run for a single afternoon, several days, or several weeks. Course specifics are agreed on a case-by-case basis.

About you

  • You’ll have a positive and welcoming work attitude
  • You’ll love to educate and inspire others
  • You’ll be enthusiastic and knowledgeable about a specific area of natural history
  • You’ll be passionate about the wider work of NHSN 
  • You’ll be committed to the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion
  • You’ll have excellent organisational skills and experience leading & managing groups

What we’ll do for you

  • Provide a generous hourly fee for time spent delivering courses
  • Provide travel expenses to and from external sites
  • Provide full support with event planning, admin, and risk assessments
  • Provide support with Zoom and other technology used in courses

Find out more

To find out more about this role, including fees and other specifics, please contact NHSN Senior Naturalist, James Common, at james.common@newcastle.ac.uk.


I recently attended my first botany course with NHSN and don’t have a negative word to say! The field trips were really interesting and it was great to visit places I had never been. It was lovely to be with like-minded people and to see some rare and beautiful plants. 

NHSN Member