Trees and Forestry Science Advisor

Job summary

You will be part of the Trees Research, Evidence and Analysis Team within the Biodiversity, Land Use and Investment Directorate.

This is a multidisciplinary, G6 led team comprising of natural scientists, economists and social scientists. We support the trees and forestry policy team which is responsible for delivery of trees and forestry policy including the governments legally binding targets under the Environment Act.

Our team leads on championing and embedding science and analysis into the Trees and Forestry team to ensure that both policy and delivery are based on evidence. We are responsible for managing research projects, translating evidence into policy and managing our expert, independent advisors the Trees and Woodlands Science Advisory Group. We are seeking a Senior Scientific Officer to join our team who has relevant experience in forestry science, ecology or closely related relevant disciplines. The successful candidate will need to use technical knowledge and expertise to generate high quality evidence to support policy making.

Job description

Trees Research, Evidence and Analysis Team

This role will support policy and delivery colleagues in the Trees and Forestry Team by ensuring their work is underpinned by robust evidence. The postholder will identify evidence needs and apply technical expertise to develop, manage, and deliver scientific research and evidence that informs policy.

The role requires strong coordination and collaboration across organisational boundaries to align outputs with evidence standards, policy objectives, and statutory requirements. Working at the science–policy interface, you will collaborate with policy and evidence teams across Defra, its arm’s-length bodies, and the wider research community, translating complex environmental data into clear, accessible insights to support decision-making.

You will also have opportunities to take a leading role in commissioning, organising, and delivering R&D projects as part of the wider evidence programme.

Candidates will join the Directorates’ Science Professional Community that provides a peer group for professional learning, development, and support.

These science posts are eligible for a Specialist Skills Supplement. Please see below under the heading ‘Salary’ for further information.

Person specification

The person specification and key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Key responsibilities

• Provide timely, high-quality evidence and scientific advice to support policy development on woodland and tree biodiversity and forest management, resilience and timber.
• Design, procure and oversee research to address evidence gaps. Act as the main point of contact for researchers and funders, ensuring research is well coordinated, commissioned appropriately, and delivered to time and budget.
• Lead and manage multiple research and development projects at pace, ensuring outputs are robust, relevant and embedded in wider policy thinking.
• Communicate and influence across Defra, OGDs, UKRI and the wider scientific community to ensure a joined-up approach to public research.
• Build strong relationships with policy, delivery and analytical colleagues.
• Clearly communicate complex scientific evidence to a range of audiences.
• Provide expert input into official correspondence, briefings and ministerial submissions.

Essential Criteria

• A scientific understanding of tree and/or forestry science and a good general awareness of policy issues impacting treescape expansion and management.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to make effective decisions and deliver quality policy relevant analysis under time pressure, including where evidence is limited.
• Experience designing and/or managing research and development projects.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills including drafting high-quality technical reports and providing clear advice to non-specialist audiences.
• Good project management skills and the ability to plan, prioritise and deliver work across a varied portfolio of research projects, monitoring budgets and delivery of research outputs.
• Demonstrated ability to work across multiple teams and organisations, bringing together a wide range of perspectives.
• Knowledge of tree and or forestry science or related discipline.

Qualifications

A postgraduate degree in a relevant science area, or Bachelors with minimum 3 years in a relevant role.

Memberships

Government Science and Engineering

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Knowledge of tree and or forestry science or related discipline

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,665, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £12,360 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, 500 word personal statement, behaviours and technical statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Your personal statement should demonstrate why you are suitable for the role with reference to the essential criteria.

Your Technical skill should demonstrate in Knowledge of tree and or forestry science or related discipline.

As part of the application you will need to complete four behaviours:

Communicating and Influencing

Making Effective Decisions

Working Together

Delivering at Pace

Should a large number of applicants be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing and personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

If successful at the application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Communicating and Influencing, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together, Delivering at Pace. Technical skills will also be assessed on Knowledge of tree and or forestry science or related discipline.

At interview a presentation on Technical experience/understanding related to trees and forestry will be required and further details will be sent in an email to candidates before the interview.

Your interview will be conducted by video. An email will be sent to you with the MS Teams link and further guidance.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Further Information

Location

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Defra 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order for each location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

Feedback

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.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

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.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Rebecca Mcilhiney
• Email : rebecca.mcilhiney@defra.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here