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Job summary

Post background:

This role sits within the Chief Scientist Directorate (CSD) overseen by JNCC’s Chief Scientist. The CSD brings together cross-cutting science disciplines (e.g. social science, economics, quality assessment, external knowledge engagement) and themes (e.g. climate change, One Health). It is the professional home for JNCC’s scientists and analysts.

JNCC’s Interdisciplinary and Evaluation Team is seeking a Senior Social Scientist to support its portfolio of interdisciplinary evidence, advice and implementation activities.

This role will strengthen the social and interdisciplinary evidence base underpinning biodiversity conservation, nature recovery and environmental policy. You will champion approaches and analysis that connects nature recovery with people’s values, behaviours, livelihoods, health and wellbeing; helping ensure JNCC’s work contributes to equitable, inclusive and socially informed solutions that benefit nature and society.

You will support JNCC's strategic project development and advice on the integration of social science. Working across teams, you will embed robust social science approaches into research, implementation, evaluation and impact, ensuring our work reflects the social dimensions of biodiversity conservation and recovery. This includes project support, advice on methods and analysis, supporting implementation of a Research Ethics Committee and good practice stakeholder engagement and participation.

You will work closely with conservation biologists, data scientists, geospatial analysts, environmental modellers, and policy specialists, as well as external partners and stakeholders. Strong communication and collaboration skills are essential. There may be occasional international travel opportunities.

There may be opportunities to develop and deliver high impact interdisciplinary projects, building collaborations across disciplines and with partners. You will identify opportunities where social science can strengthen evidence, inform policy, improve stakeholder engagement and support effective outcomes.

Recent & planned projects include:

• Supporting implementation of JNCC’s (internal) Interdisciplinary Strategy through: building capacity for social science and interdisciplinary working through training, networks and a Community of Practice; embedding social science and interdisciplinary approaches within organisational processes (e.g. evidence quality assurance, research ethics); providing advice across programmes; and delivering priority projects integrating social and natural science evidence.
• Technical advice on Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and related initiatives intersecting socio-economic dimensions. Recent examples include the IPBES Transformative Change, Nexus and Business and Biodiversity Assessments, and work on biodiversity, health and One Health, helping integrate findings into policy and practice.
• Leading socio-economic research, analysis and engagement to support evidence-based conservation policy and decision-making. Examples include integrating social and environmental indicators, supporting sustainable livelihood initiatives, the Overseas Territories (OT) Biodiversity Strategy and the UK’s Blue Belt Programme.

Job description

Post Duties:

Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, responsibilities of this role will include:

• Supporting implementation of JNCC’s Interdisciplinary Strategy, including JNCC’s Social Science Community of Practice and Research Ethics Committee, and contributing to building social science and interdisciplinary capability across the organisation through training, guidance, knowledge sharing and networks.

• Providing advice to, and working directly with, teams across JNCC to integrate robust social science approaches, methods, analysis, evidence and evaluation into key work programmes; advising on research design, stakeholder engagement, participation and co-production approaches where relevant; and supporting the application of research ethics principles and best practice.

• Identifying, building on and developing new areas for social science integration across JNCC’s terrestrial and marine work programmes, including areas such as land-use change, consumption, pollution, health and climate change; liaising with other teams to identify and make best use of staff resources across the organisation.

• Cultivating collaborative partnerships with UK policymakers, UKOT and ODA-eligible governments and other relevant stakeholders, identifying opportunities to maintain and expand our work in this area, including project development and future funding opportunities.

• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of policy and evidence developments related to biodiversity, climate change, health and sustainable development across the UK, UKOTs and relevant ODA-eligible countries.

• Undertaking staff management responsibilities including recruitment, as required.

• Supporting the wider work of the team as appropriate, including providing senior technical input into projects as required.

Person specification

Please demonstrate your Technical skills in STARR format 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:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant discipline, with formal training and/or substantial experience in one or more social science disciplines (e.g. environmental social science, sociology, behavioural science or human geography).
• Demonstrable knowledge and application of social science theories, methods and analytical approaches, including the ability to integrate social and natural science evidence to inform interdisciplinary research, policy and practice.
• Experience of providing strategic social science advice and specialist expertise to inform research, evidence programmes, policy development and/or organisational priorities.
• Experience of applying social science methods and approaches within environmental research or evidence programmes, including designing, delivering, evaluating and/or quality-assuring social science research, to improve relevance, quality and impact.
• Experience building effective collaborations and influencing colleagues, stakeholders and partners across organisational and disciplinary boundaries to achieve shared outcomes.
• Experience developing, managing and delivering interdisciplinary environmental projects involving multiple partners, disciplines or stakeholders.
• Experience synthesising, interpreting and communicating scientific, technical and social science evidence to a range of audiences, including non-technical audiences, in clear, engaging and accessible ways.
• Understanding of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research approaches and the role of social science in addressing complex environmental challenges and supporting transformative change (Desirable).

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,525, Joint Nature Conservation Committee contributes £12,029 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).Hybrid Working (occasional travel) + 25 Days Leave + 12 Public & Privilege days + Civil Service Pension.

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 will be adopting a more flexible approach to working options and, once we are able to return to working in our office locations, our people will have more flexibility about where they choose to work. The expectation is that we will be expected to work from our office base for 1 – 2 days a month as a minimum. We can provide more details at the interview and offer stages.

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 use the S.T.A.R.R process to answer relevant areas.

In the event that we receive a large volume of applications we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on the Technical criteria and Lead Behaviour of Seeing the Big Picture.

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

Senior Social Scientist 2026039 Opens in new window (pdf, 206kB)