Have you had enough Christmas small talk to last a lifetime? Are you ready to swap nosy relatives and déjà vu for fresh air and minimal human contact?
If so, you could apply for the UK’s loneliest job on the remote Scottish island of Handa.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust is seeking an individual to fill a six-month ranger role on a very small uninhabited island in the north-west Scottish Highlands.
Each spring, tens of thousands of seabirds migrate to the island’s sandstone cliffs, making the location an internationally important breeding site for guillemots, razorbills and great skuas.
These birds typically spend the summer months breeding and feeding in the rich waters surrounding the island.
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The job advert reads: ‘An outstanding opportunity for a passionate, highly motivated and skilled individual person to effectively manage this remote and beautiful island, its wildlife and 8,000-plus visitors.
‘This exciting role requires excellent organisational skills, coupled with a high degree of flexibility.’
The applicant who manages to bag the role will be responsible for organising work programs to complete alongside a team of volunteers.
Handa’s last human inhabitants left in the 19th century, leaving the island to become home to thousands of seabirds and other animals.
Whales and basking sharks are also often spotted from the shore.
What do previous volunteers say about their work on Handa Island?
Every year, the Scottish Wildlife Trust welcomes volunteers to Handa for up to six months to work with them.
Katie Baird, who volunteered in 2022 and 2023, said: ‘Living on a seabird island made it incredibly easy to gain wildlife ID skills, and I also gained knowledge of seabird monitoring methods as well as practical skills such as boardwalk maintenance.
‘Maybe the most valuable part was the experience of living off-grid and working in a remote location alongside a small team.’
Kirsty Cox, who volunteered in 2023 and 2024, said: ‘Particularly valuable was the chance to take some time out from the rest of life in a beautiful setting.’
She spent most of her time ‘outdoors, seeing amazing birdlife and marine life and learning from and spending time with like-minded people.’
2023 volunteer Phoebe Owen described how Handa reminded her ‘of the joy found in simplicity’, learning from the ‘eclectic mix of people.’
Source: Scottish Wildlife Trust
The island is open to visitors, who are encouraged to take in the spectacular views, look into its history and witness the wildlife.
To reach the island, there is a ten-minute pedestrian ferry service which runs from Tarbet on the mainland.
The job advert does not shy away from the fact that the role can be ‘physically demanding’, including weekly trips by boat to the mainland for laundry and supplies.
However, it highlights how it can be ‘hugely rewarding.’
Working for 35 hours a week between March and September 2026, the successful candidate’s salary is advertised at £26,112 per annum.
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