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Job summary

This position is based Nationally

Job description

The Science Team is part of the Chief Scientist’s Directorate (CSD) in Natural England. This Directorate is responsible for Natural England’s Science, Evidence and Analysis Framework and supports its implementation to ensure Natural England is powered by science.

The Science team leads on the development and application of natural, economic and social science and evidence to drive and enable the achievement of environmental outcomes both within Natural England and externally. We work across the organisation and with external partners and government departments.

Join us in shaping a future where nature and people thrive. Whether you're drawn to hands-on conservation or playing a vital part behind the scenes, your work at Natural England will support lasting benefits for the environment and society.

Our Role

Natural England is the Government’s adviser for the natural environment and the Nature regulator with a wide range of statutory duties and powers. We provide the evidence, expertise and advice to recover Nature and shape better places for people to live. We do this working through and with others.

Strategic Outcomes for Nature

Our strategy is framed through four strategic outcomes. Each of these outcomes reinforces and amplifies the others, and together they address environmental, social and economic actions critical to thriving nature.

• Recovering Nature – Increased scale and quality of places where nature thrives.

• Building Better Places – Greener homes and infrastructure create healthier, more investable places, recognising we live better where nature thrives around us.

• Improving Health and Wellbeing – Build nature into everyday life so people can support, access and benefit from nature, wherever they live.
• Delivering Security through Nature – Nature helps us adapt to the threats of a changing climate and improves our national security, supporting more resilient food production, healthy soils, clean and plentiful water and clean air.

Find out more about the work of Natural England at:

Natural England’s Strategy: Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security - GOV.UK

Job description

Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities

As a Principal Specialist within science, you will work collaboratively with specialists across CSD, as well as with operations and strategy colleagues. This role will be focused on providing scientific advice into Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) and other high risk/high opportunity casework. This is an exciting opportunity to make a strong contribution to Natural England’s engagement with some of the most important development proposals in the country ensuring that nature is included as critical national infrastructure.

NSIPs are major planning schemes that present both challenges and significant opportunities for the natural environment. They cover a wide range of proposals, from wind farms and solar energy to water resources, ports, airports and major new road and rail schemes.

Working with colleagues in both your team and across the organisation you will help ensure that the natural environment is fully considered through the planning process. You will seek to maximize gains for nature from these nationally significant projects. Our aim is to ensure that all development is truly sustainable, not only protecting what we have but also contributing to nature recovery.

This is a new role aimed at:

• speeding up Natural England’s response times to priority development
• Increasing involvement and engagement at key stages of the process (for example issue specific hearings)
• manage cases and develop solutions and thematic advice to support operational teams in providing proportionate advice.

We are looking for an experienced communicator with a deep specialism and understanding of the planning process and how science and evidence is best developed and applied for positive, pragmatic, outcomes for nature and for people.

Areas which the post holder may contribute to includes:

• Provide expert hydrological and hydrogeological advice in relation to nationally significant infrastructure/high risk casework.
• Working with strategy colleagues to develop guidance and standing advice.
• Building, analysing and applying the evidence base to inform support and advice, identifying any risks associated with the evidence. Including identifying emerging issues and opportunities.
• Representing Natural England as a subject matter expert and building relationships with key experts, stakeholders and, as needed, developers across the sector.
• Work with specialists, national strategy teams, area team colleagues, and partners to ensure that the evidence and monitoring and strategic solutions needed to improve development management projects, is embedded in decision making.
• Build awareness and understanding of your specialism in the context of development management both internally and externally. Ensure that staff understand how your specialism relates to their work and build organisational capability through provision of advice, tools, guidance and training.
• Demonstrate thought leadership across your specialism and within the Chief Scientist Directorate, in order to address complex challenges.
• Resolve problems which may involve developing new approaches, testing options, seeking consensus and interpretation in making recommendations or determining appropriate advice.
• Represent Natural England externally as a recognised expert in your field, including at Public Inquiries, hearings and examinations

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

The ideal candidate will:

• Be qualified to at least MSc level in hydrology/hydrogeology or can demonstrate equivalent experience. (Essential)
• Have an excellent knowledge of hydrological and hydrogeological science, ideally with ability to integrate ecological knowledge and produce holistic advice and the interaction of these aspects with the impacts of climate change. (Essential)
• Have excellent communication skills (verbally and in written form) and can convey complex ideas to a wide range of audiences (Essential)
• Have strong analytical skills (qualitative and quantitative) and knowledge of approaches used to collate best evidence to advise on development impacts e.g modelling, data analysis and survey techniques. (Essential)
• Have an excellent understanding of the scientific literature on hydrology and related specialisms, and the analysis of hydrological data and evidence to inform complex and contentious decision-making (Essential)
• Have a strong understanding of adjacent specialisms in relation to the water environment, founded on principles of natural ecosystem function, with ability to integrate advice across work areas and linked to wider nature recovery outcomes (Desirable)
• Have working knowledge of policies, legislative frameworks and drivers for the water agenda. (Essential)

Benefits

At Natural England, we support a healthy work-life balance by offering full-time, part-time, and flexible working arrangements.

We provide excellent opportunities for career progression, training, and development tailored to your role. This includes ten days annually for personal learning and development, plus three additional days for volunteering.

You’ll receive a generous leave allowance of 25 days per year (pro rata), increasing by one day for each year of service up to 30 days (pro-rata), access to the Civil Service Pension scheme with a 28.97% employer contribution, and a range of benefits such as shopping discounts and a cycle-to-work scheme. Staff can also join the Civil Service Sport club for discounts on sports, leisure activities, and social events.

We are committed to fairness, equality, and inclusivity. Our employee-led diversity networks help foster a welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

Locations

Natural England has adopted hybrid working – which means our staff work from a flexible range of locations, encompassing home, offices (ours and our partners) and relevant sites. All new staff will be formally linked to one of our 25 offices across England, and the expectation is that all new staff will be able to access their local office to be part of the community of staff in their geographical area. Staff are expected to attend their associated office for 20% of their contractual hours.

Staff members are required to carry out all their duties working in this way and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time. Travel expenses will be paid if work-related travel is required but does not apply to travel between home and your associated office.

National team roles can be linked with any Natural England office while Area Team roles will be linked with an office in the relevant geographic area.

View a map of our office locations here: online map of Natural England office locations

It is Natural England policy to employ at the entry point of the salary range.

How to Apply

We welcome and encourage applications from all communities. Natural England is accredited to the Disability Confident Scheme, which denotes organisations which have a positive attitude towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements for the role at the shortlisting stage are guaranteed an invitation to interview.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at interview, or there is anything else you would like the panel to take into consideration, you should notify us of this at application stage where possible, or well in advance of your interview. We now provide primary interview questions in advance for all formal recruitments.

This vacancy uses competency-based assessment. We'll assess you against the competencies below during the selection process. Please be aware that we reserve the right for roles that receive a high volume of applications to initially sift applications for one competence only.

When completing the application form you should present relevant examples using the STAR format. Give us an example of how you have demonstrated the competency (which can be work related or from another area of your life) and tell us about the Situation, the specific Task you had to undertake, the specific Actions you took, and the Result (both immediate and in a wider context) of your Action.

Please note that STAR format is not required when answering the Technical Skills & Knowledge competency.

Examples should be given in no more than 250 words for each competency.

If you are successful at the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend an interview via MS Teams or a suitable alternative, where you will be asked to give examples for all competencies as set out in the Job Description.

As with all roles in NE, these roles require office attendance of a minimum of 20% of the working time – one day per week for those who work full time, subject to any reasonable adjustments and/or existing contractual homeworking.

Competencies

Competence 1

Professional competency

Detail

Technical Skills and Knowledge

Description

• Qualified to at least MSc level in hydrology/hydrogeology or can demonstrate equivalent experience. (Essential)
  • An excellent knowledge of hydrological and hydrogeological science, with ability to integrate ecological knowledge and produce holistic advice; and understanding of the interaction of these aspects with the impacts of climate change. (Essential)
  • A clear understanding of the evidence base. Experience in analysing and interpreting hydrological and hydrogeological data and how to apply the evidence to provide advice, identify evidence gaps and evaluate outcomes. (Essential)
  • Knowledge of policies, legislative frameworks, and drivers for change in the water agenda, combined with an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders in the planning and water sectors. (Essential)
  • Experience of high risk/high opportunity and complex hydrology casework. (Essential)
  • A strong understanding of adjacent specialisms in relation to the water environment, founded on principles of natural ecosystem function, with ability to integrate advice across work areas and linked to wider nature recovery outcomes (Desirable)

Competence 2

Professional competency

Detail

Personal Effectiveness

Description

• Test and challenge others in a constructive and evidence-based way providing scientific scrutiny, challenge and assurance to casework and other delivery that is practical and, where appropriate, cross-disciplinary (Expert)
  • Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence (Expert)

Competence 3

Professional competency

Detail

Putting People at the Heart of the Environment

Description

• Build relationships and effective networks both externally and internally to bring in fresh perspectives, approaches and evidence to raise the profile of both your individual specialist work and that of Natural England. (Expert)
  • Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and Natural England. (Expert)

Competence 4

Professional competency

Detail

Work Delivery

Description

• Identify and apply the most appropriate data and methodologies for your analysis, utilising reproducible analytical pipelines and data science approaches where appropriate. (Practitioner)
  • Identify priority evidence needs and seek ways to meet them (e.g. through funding or partnerships). (Expert)

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,100, Natural England contributes £16,252 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).

• 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

Please refer to Job Description

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

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 : Peter Gray
• Email : peter.gray@naturalengland.org.uk
• Telephone : 07876846284

Recruitment team

• Email : defra-recruitment-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

https://networkrecruitment.tal.net/vx/appcentre-7/brand-4/spa-1/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/8/opp/6679-6679-Principal-Specialist-Hydrology-Casework/en-GB

Attachments

DEF-001h - Candidate Pack Natural England v2.9 Opens in new window (docx, 548kB)