Marine Data Specialists x 2
Team: Marine Evidence
Ref No: 2022-98 & 104
Grade: H (HEO)
Type of appointment:1x Permanent, 1x Fixed term appointment for 1 year
Location: Peterborough or Aberdeen
Salary: £28390
This post will have a base in Peterborough or Aberdeen.
JNCC are adopting a more flexible approach to working options and, now we are able to return to working in our office locations, our people have more flexibility about where they choose to work. Staff are expected to work from the office base for 1 – 2 days a month as a
minimum. We can provide more details at the interview and offer stages.
Who are JNCC?
Established in 1991, we’re the UK’s statutory advisor on issues affecting the natural environment across the UK and internationally. Our primary role is advising all four Governments of the UK. We also work with private sector organisations to support decision making on the sustainable use of marine waters and natural resources around the UK. JNCC is led by the Joint Committee, which brings together members from the nature conservation bodies for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and independent members appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under an independent Chair. Support is provided to the Committee by almost 200 people who bring together scientific and technical expertise, extensive knowledge of policy at global, European and national levels, and skills in working with other organisations. Staff are based in two main offices in Peterborough and
Aberdeen.
Why JNCC?
We’re small enough (c.270 staff) that your voice is heard by everyone including the CEO, but big enough that we have all the skills, resources and people you’ll need to get the job done. All our staff are passionate about conservation and making a difference to the world we live in. We have a very flexible, inclusive and welcoming organisational culture. Our Executive Management provides advisers with the freedom and tools you will need, and our friendly team will assist you in your role. You will benefit from our supportive workplace culture, excellent holiday and pension benefits, as well as an exciting job in a unique environment.
Hours of work: Full-time
Normal minimum hours of attendance for the post are 36 hours per week over a 5-day period, Monday to Friday.
Flexi time is available. This post may also be suitable for job share.
Annual Leave:
The annual leave allowance is 25 days per year, rising to 30 days per year
after 5 years’ service. There are also 12 days public and privilege leave. Part-time staff will receive this on a pro rata basis.
Short Summary:
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) is the statutory adviser to Government on
UK and international nature conservation. Through its advisory responsibilities, JNCC supports UK governments to achieve their vision of clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas through piloting and demonstrating improved use of evidence and analysis in decision making.
The Marine Evidence team covers a range of activities to develop our knowledge of the UK marine environment, including: mapping of marine habitats; understanding human impacts through the mapping of human activity footprints and their pressures; assessing the sensitivity of habitats and species; and maintaining the national benthic marine database (Marine Recorder) and the national marine habitat classification. Managing and improving access to marine environmental and human activity data is a vital function of the team.
Mapping of marine habitats is core to JNCC’s marine work, supporting the monitoring, assessment, protected sites, marine advice and natural capital programmes of work as well as the work of other organisations and industry.
There are 2 data specialist vacancies, one permanent and one fixed term for 1 year. You will be given various data management and technical duties depending on your experience, but will largely take a lead role in the collation, cataloguing, interpretation and management of existing UK benthic data, both biodiversity data and habitat maps. You will provide support to our national and international projects to collate data, map and model seabed habitats, and will therefore be exposed to the full range of marine benthic data work undertaken by
Post Duties
Ongoing improvement of data management processes for marine benthic data in JNCC
Coordinating the collation, quality control, storage and dissemination of UK offshore benthic data and seabed habitat maps, including the online publication of marine geospatial habitat data
Coordinating the maintenance of JNCC’s Marine Recorder database, and updates of offshore survey data
Assisting with habitat suitability modelling for key seabed habitats to underpin the development of marine indicators
Building relationships and liaison with colleagues in the Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies, UK Government, Devolved Administrations and research organisations to promote and coordinate the preparation and acquisition of quality assured marine habitat data products
Support the wider Marine Evidence team with a range of data engineering and analysis tasks, as required
Technical
To be a successful candidate you will have:
Education to degree level or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject and/or relevant recent practical work experience that provides the knowledge, experience and behaviours outlined in this job description. Note that marine ecological/ other environmental knowledge would be helpful.
Experience
To be a successful candidate you will have:
Relevant experience in the management and transformation of large or complex data, including the ability to create metadata, audit trails and establish processes/rules for changing and archiving them.
Either relevant experience of using GIS packages, including manipulation, interpretation and mapping of datasets and spatial databases; and establishing links to databases.
Or relevant experience of applying analytical techniques to spatial problems, including automation of functions. In addition, experience of modelling or machine learning methods would be useful.
Ability to use manipulate data and automate processes using programming languages (e.g. R, Python) and/or within relational databases.
In the event that we receive a large volume of applications we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on the Lead Behaviour of Changing and Improving
Please see the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:
Closing date and interview date
The closing date for this post is 23:55 on Monday, 31 October 2022
The anticipated interview date is W/C Monday, 14 November 2022
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