Earth Observation Specialist 2026063

Job summary

Post background:

The Ecosystems Analysis Team helps JNCC’s stakeholders meet the challenges of managing our environment and the benefits it provides.
This dynamic, multi-disciplinary team brings together three elements:

• A set of long-term partnerships with organisations undertaking species surveys in terrestrial, coastal and freshwater ecosystems using networks of volunteers

• An analysis and modelling capability producing rapidly deployable models. These include a range of models focussed on predicting outcomes from changing land uses and environmental pressures

• An Earth observation (EO) data processing and analytical capability with expertise in using EO to provide high-quality evidence on biodiversity and ecosystems to inform environmental decision making

As an EO Specialist, you will help JNCC deploy habitat and feature mapping methods, develop products to detect change in habitat condition or management, and provide biophysical parameters for environmental modelling. The post would contribute to projects across the work of the team, and to projects led by other teams in JNCC, bringing technical evidence skills and insight into integrating evidence on habitat extent and condition.

The post will focus on EO data analyses but will also work collaboratively with other analytical, data science and data infrastructure skills across the Ecosystems Analysis and Digital and Data Solutions Teams. Recent examples of EO applications developed by the team and our partners include national-scale habitat extent and change mapping, coastal habitat monitoring in a changing climate, developing indicators of urban blue and green space extent and type, and developing national indicators of woodland condition and young tree health. Whilst much of the work of the team is terrestrial, some work on marine environments is possible.

Job description

Post Duties:

The post will be managed by a Senior Earth Observation Specialist, and you will work with other EO specialists, as well as modellers, analysts, and surveillance experts. The main duties of the post are to:

• Carry out a variety of analyses where EO is needed as a significant input, working with JNCC colleagues with other technical or stakeholder-facing skills where appropriate
  o Analysis will include developing new methods and adapting existing ones to analyse EO and other geospatial data.
  o Extracting methods from EO research that can be deployed practically to help ensure EO data from a range of sensors can make a greater contribution to environmental applications

• Provide expert advice on suitability of analytical methods and appropriate use of EO data to aid delivery of programmes led by key stakeholders and other teams within JNCC, notably International, Marine and Digital and Data Solutions

• Contribute to the development and running of data management systems that will enable JNCC to provide EO based outputs over large geographic scales within the UK and elsewhere

• Collate and assess information from stakeholders to help identify their evidence needs and where EO approaches can provide effective solutions

• Manage work packages for the team or other teams in JNCC, focusing on projects that will require some EO analytical components, ensuring that staff resources are used effectively and that we work efficiently alongside external contractors

• Manage data effectively to JNCC standards and ensure effective quality control and quality assurance is carried out for analytical methods and products

The post-holder may be required to attend meetings and other fora at various localities in the UK and potentially internationally, involving overnight stays away from home.

Person specification

In the event that we receive a large volume of applications, we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on the lead Technical criteria (A strong understanding of Earth Observation data and underlying principles, including familiarity with data from a range of sensors and platforms, alongside experience in applying recognised EO modelling and classification approaches).

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• A strong understanding of Earth Observation data and underlying principles, including familiarity with data from a range of sensors and platforms, alongside experience in applying recognised EO modelling and classification approaches
• Experience of applying EO techniques in the context of environmental applications, ideally related to land cover and habitat assessment (desirable)
• Be confident in manipulating and analysing EO and geospatial data, including experience of using GIS, as well as scripting/programming (preferably Python or R), particularly for automating processes
• Be confident in communicating complex concepts to non-technical audiences

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Experience of applying EO techniques in the context of environmental applications, ideally related to land cover and habitat assessment (desirable)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £33,130, Joint Nature Conservation Committee contributes £9,597 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).Equality and diversity

JNCC is committed to creating an environment where everyone feels valued and respected and see this as a good place to work. JNCC has a responsibility to ensure that we have an inclusive culture where discrimination, harassment, bullying and prejudice will not be tolerated. Our selection process is determined on fair and open competition and regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership.

Continuous professional development (CPD)

Employees are encouraged to keep developing skills and professional knowledge.
JNCC has made available, and encourages employees to use, on average, five working days per annum for CPD activities with access to related funding

Leave entitlement

JNCC annual leave allowance is 25 days per annum. After five years’ service, leave entitlement increases to 30 days per annum.
In addition to annual leave, JNCC offers 12 public and privilege days per annum, three of which are explicitly reserved for office closure between Christmas and New Year.

Work/life balance

JNCC supports flexible working hours and practices to help employees strike a good balance between work life and personal life.

Our policies are family-friendly and include flexi-time, flexible working patterns, compressed hours and dispersed working. JNCC also offers paid maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave, over and above the minimum statutory entitlements. Some work/life balance benefits are available following a minimum length of service.

Any move from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

Civil Service Pension

Employees will have the opportunity to join Civil Service pension arrangements, which include a valuable range of benefits. JNCC makes a significant contribution to the cost of employee pensions.

Employee Assistance Programme

JNCC provides employees with a free and confidential support service which gives unlimited access to information, advice and emotional support to help employees prepare for and manage all of life's ups and downs, events and challenges.

Trade Union

JNCC has entered into a partnership agreement with its recognised Trade Unions: Prospect and PCS, which employees are able to join and be involved with.

Salary sacrifice schemes

Employee Discount Scheme

Civil Service Sports Club

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.Applicants selected for interview will be required to undertake a short technical test as part of the selection process.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Recruitment Team
• Email : recruitment@jncc.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@jncc.gov.uk

Further information

Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact recruitment@jncc.gov.uk in the first instance.

Attachments

2026063 Earth Observation Specialist Opens in new window (pdf, 225kB)