JOB DESCRIPTION

The JNCC Marine Species Team includes a marine ornithology group, which provides evidence and advice on marine birds (seabirds and non-breeding marine waterbirds). Our work covers monitoring, and research and statutory advice on pressures affecting marine birds, and has both a domestic UK, UK Overseas Territories and international scope. One of the primary areas of work is on marine industries affecting marine birds, including offshore renewable energy developments and oil & gas activities. We provide statutory advice on industry plans, advise on or undertake casework for individual projects (especially for Welsh waters), and seek to support the work of the country statutory nature conservation bodies (SNCBs) on development of shared understanding of evidence and development of guidance. In addition to our specific statutory role, we engage in thematic advisory groups that are synthesising evidence to inform policy development or providing new evidence, and we undertake novel research relevant to offshore industry. At an international level, we provide technical advice in support of the UK’s and UKOTs’ commitment to the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses & Petrels (ACAP), and, working with other teams in JNCC, engage in wider research and advice relating to the UKOTs’ ambitions for nature conservation. The wider role of the marine ornithology group includes monitoring seabirds, including through partnership working, providing trends, indicators and assessments of the status of marine birds, advising on designation strategy and management of protected areas, and coordination of groups engaged in pressure-specific actions and collation of evidence related to these, such as fisheries bycatch and invasive non-native predators. In addition, we support the development of strategies on marine bird conservation, both domestic and within the UKOTs.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

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

• A degree (BSc) or equivalent qualification in zoology or ecology, or three-years relevant professional experience
• Experience of undertaking spatial analysis using GIS (Arc or QGIS) and of using R to analyse data
• Contributed to the delivery of evidence projects, including undertaking data management, analysis and interpretation, and writing reports.
• The ability to collate, critically review and synthesise scientific information, appraise and communicate uncertainty, and provide high-quality, impartial advice based on conclusions.
• Worked effectively with others, including external colleagues, to develop shared outputs.
• Good communication skills, including having presented work to both scientific and non-technical audiences.
• Good communication skills, including having presented work to both scientific and non-technical audiences.

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)
• 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

POST DUTIES

Much of the work we undertake is done in collaboration with others and duties will change according to the projects that we are either leading on or contributing to so you will be expected to work on multiple projects throughout the year, and these may change from one year to the next. Current projects that you might be requested to help deliver include some of the following:

• Supporting a review of the marine Special Protection Area (SPA) network, including data analysis and review of management measures.
• Synthesising evidence to assess the effectiveness of management measures designed to compensate for loss of birds or supporting habitats in protected sites due to marine industry developments in the context of other pressures.
• Synthesising evidence to begin to assess the effects of climate change on the distribution of migratory species in the UKOTs, conservation implications, the possible risks to local communities of any changes, and the gaps in evidence to improve understanding of climate change effects and that could support adaptation.
• Supporting synthesis of evidence to assess pressures on and management options for ACAP species in the South Atlantic UKOTs.
• Supporting preparation of advice on the effects of offshore wind developments on marine birds.