Marine Ecosystems Scientist 202573

Job summary

Post background

JNCC has been at the forefront of improving our understanding of how the marine environment functions for over 25 years. Our marine ecosystem R&D work and scientific advice work underpins the UK government’s need to understand the effectiveness of marine nature conservation policies and the impact of human activities and environmental pressures to changes to marine ecosystem condition and in particular benthic habitats.

Our staff lead scientific expert groups at both national and international levels, developing innovative tools, indicators, and methodologies for monitoring, measuring, and assessing biodiversity across multiple scales. This ranges from creating indicators methods for marine protected areas in the UK Overseas Territories to modelling environmental changes at regional sea levels, such as in the Greater North Sea.

Our work involves collaborating with international experts to develop scientific guidance and advanced statistical approaches that promote actions to recover and conserve marine biodiversity within a sustainable blue economy. This includes considering climate change mitigation and adaptation needs and informing management decisions for biodiversity recovery and restoration, as well as implementing Nature-Based Solutions.

We are currently seeking a highly motivated Marine Ecosystems Scientist to support the UK Government in developing modelling tools, statistical methods, and indicators that enhance our understanding of the state of the marine environment and measuring the impacts of human pressures as well as the effects of climate change. This work will also inform the management and recovery of degraded marine ecosystems.

The successful candidate will contribute to an exciting and evolving area of work focused on operationalising benthic habitat indicators for a range of policy applications, and the development of evidence products to inform management and supporting mitigation and adaptation to climate change impacts. These include delivery of assessment products under the OSPAR Convention, methods for assessing the condition of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the UK Overseas Territories, and development of scientific guidance for the recovery of key priority benthic habitat internationally.

Job description

Post Duties

• Data analysis and method development for biodiversity indicators and targets to assess the status and trends of marine ecosystems and their associated ecosystem services, in line with government and funder priorities.
• Development and testing of models to analyse ecosystem functions and generate predictions to support comprehensive ecosystem assessments and evaluate trade-offs between management and environmental scenarios.
• Support the development of technical products for international initiatives, including contributions to regional action plans, and measuring the effects of climate change and ocean acidification in marine ecosystems.
• Engage with external organisations involved in marine environmental assessment to gather relevant information and collaborate on the development of evidence-based products.
• Maintain and promote common standards and best practice guidance for the assessment of marine habitats and ecosystems, both within the UK and internationally.
• Identify opportunities for external funding to support international research and development in marine ecosystem assessment.
• Support the team’s administrative tasks critical to effective running of projects.
• Support the wider work of the Team and JNCC as appropriate, including providing technical input into projects and delivery of technical work, as required.

Person specification

Please use the STARR technique where applicable.

• Situation: Set the stage.
• Task: Explain where you fit in.
• Action: Describe each step.
• Results: Impress with your achievements.
• Reflection: what have you learned

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Good understanding of ecology, the pressures and impacts on biodiversity, and their implications for sustainable development.
• Knowledge of global and regional multi-lateral environmental instruments of relevance to the UK.
• Experience of successfully synthesising complex information and communicating concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience of working with domestic or international stakeholders and partners.

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

• Good understanding of ecology, the pressures and impacts on biodiversity, and their implications for sustainable development.
• Experience of successfully synthesising complex information and communicating concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.

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.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.Please advise in your CV should not be more than 2 pages in length

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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

202573 - Marine Ecosystems Scientist JD - H Opens in new window (pdf, 212kB)