Jude Black
Belfast,United Kingdom
Summary
A reliable and driven individual with a strong work ethic and significant experience in animal care and ecological fieldwork. Brings a wide and varied skillset including adaptability, problem-solving and teamwork to any working environment. Willing to learn and ready to gain more practical experience.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work history
Retail Assistant
The Range, Boucher Road
Belfast, Antrim
2025.08 - Current
- Responsible for operating the checkout tills in a fast-paced environment, dealing with high volumes of customers as quickly as possible.
- Simultaneously deal with deliveries of high quantities while also operating at the checkout tills when required.
- Display physical capability and carefulness in transporting large furniture to customers' vehicles.
- Demonstrate high memory capacity in providing customers with high quality information regarding the store's products and policies.
Wildlife Rehabilitation Volunteer
Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
Rosseau, Ontario, Canada
2024.09 - 2025.06
- Involved in the rehabilitation (feeding, cleaning enclosures, providing enrichment, maintaining correct lighting and heating conditions, etc) for a diverse range of mammals and birds.
- Participated in the release of many animals back into the wild such as raccoons (Procyon lotor) foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and several bird spp.
- Assisted staff in the care (incl. feeding and translocation) of the permanent residents such as black bears (Ursus americanus), wolves (Canis lupus) and moose (Alces alces).
- Involved in constructing 3 enclosures for 7 rescued lions (Panthera leo), including activities such as setting up electric fence lining.
- Assisted in medical procedures involving animals in critical condition, including administering IV fluid therapy for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) involved in vehicle collisions.
Retail Assistant
The Range, Connswater
Belfast, Antrim
2023.05 - 2024.06
- Demonstrated ability to work efficiently within a team in the daily operation of the grocery section.
- Displayed time management in handling high quantities of delivered frozen and chilled products within strict time requirements.
- Exhibited conflict resolution in de-escalating intense situations involving dissatisfied customers.
- Adhered to standard procedures regarding strict health and safety protocols, such as disposing of groceries past their use-by date.
Field Researcher
QUB Applied Ecology Field Course
Gortin, Tyrone
2023.09 - 2023.09
- Placed longworth traps within hedgerows on 2 different sites to catch, record and release small mammals such as field mice (Apodemus sylvaticus).
- Participated in a Phase 1 habitat survey of Beltrim Castle Estate.
- Performed beat sampling on hedgerows within 2 different sites to capture and record invertebrates such as Diptera spp.
- Participated in a plant survey to record species found within hedgerows such as bramble (Rubus fruticosus).
- Performed acoustic monitoring of bats using a Batbox bat detector.
- Increased knowledge on several ecological duties such as horizon scanning for future ecological disasters.
Field Researcher
QUB Biodiversity Field Course
Tollymore Forest Park, Down
2023.04 - 2023.04
- Set up camera traps to monitor the vertebrate spp. present within the project site such as pine martens (Martes martes) and red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris).
- Participated in river kick sampling to monitor freshwater macroinvertebrates.
- Utilised plant quadrats and substrate analysis to assess the biodiversity of replicate sites.
‘Friends of the Zoo' Volunteer
Belfast Zoological Gardens
Belfast, Antrim
2012.09 - 2015.09
- Assisted keepers in the care of a diverse range of species, incl. collecting browse for giraffes (Giraffa sp.), scatter feeding for tigers (Panthera tigris) and cleaning out enclosures for Asian elephants (Elephas maximus).
- Created enrichment items for several species, such as puzzle feeders for gorillas (Gorilla gorilla).
Education
Bachelor of Science - Zoology with Professional Studies
Queen's University Belfast
2022.09 -
A-Levels - Bio (A*), Geog (A), RE (A)
Belfast Royal Academy
2021.09 - 2022.08
GCSEs - Bio (A), Chem (A), Phys (A), Fre (A), Geog (A), RE (A), Eng Lit (A), Eng Lang (A), Math (A)
Belfast Royal Academy
2019.09 - 2020.08
Skills
- Ability to work under pressure
- Adaptive field decision-making
- Trustworthy and reliable team member
- Effective time management
- Developed leadership skills
- Problem-solving and critical thinking
- Data management
- Scientific writing
- Statistical analysis (R)
Timeline
Retail Assistant
The Range, Boucher Road
2025.08 - Current
Wildlife Rehabilitation Volunteer
Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
2024.09 - 2025.06
Field Researcher
QUB Applied Ecology Field Course
2023.09 - 2023.09
Retail Assistant
The Range, Connswater
2023.05 - 2024.06
Field Researcher
QUB Biodiversity Field Course
2023.04 - 2023.04
Bachelor of Science - Zoology with Professional Studies
Queen's University Belfast
2022.09 -
A-Levels - Bio (A*), Geog (A), RE (A)
Belfast Royal Academy
2021.09 - 2022.08
GCSEs - Bio (A), Chem (A), Phys (A), Fre (A), Geog (A), RE (A), Eng Lit (A), Eng Lang (A), Math (A)
Belfast Royal Academy
2019.09 - 2020.08
‘Friends of the Zoo' Volunteer
Belfast Zoological Gardens
2012.09 - 2015.09