Marine Ornithologist

Post Title: Marine
Ornithologist
Team: Marine Species Team
Ref No: 202408
Grade: H
Type of appointment: 12 month
Fixed-term (with the possibility of extension)
Location: Peterborough or Aberdeen
Salary: £30573

This post will have a base in either Peterborough or Aberdeen.

JNCC has adopted a hybrid working approach, allowing colleagues to benefit from time in
the office, with the flexibility also to work from home. Employees are expected to work from
our office base for 1 – 2 days a month as a minimum, this will vary by team and the exact
balance will depend on the nature of your role. 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 approx. 300 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.300 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 employees with the freedom and tools you will need, and our
friendly team will assist you in your role.

JNCC is committed to maintaining employee health and wellbeing, whether it is
physically, emotionally, financially or socially, and offers a range of benefits to support
employees in this. Such benefits include the option to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme,
professional and personal development opportunities 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.

Post background

JNCC’s marine ornithologists provide advice to statutory bodies, regulators and industry on the
potential impacts of marine industries on seabird populations, as well as working jointly with
government, industry, NGOs and academia to obtain evidence on impacts. The evidence required to
make informed decisions that ensure sustainable use of the marine environment is a focus for
JNCC’s work. We synthesise existing evidence, broker engagement between different sectors and,
typically through collaboration, identify the most relevant new evidence that is required to
fulfil conservation ambitions whilst reducing uncertainty in the decision-making process. The
marine ornithology group is part of the Marine Species Team, which covers various aspects of
conservation of mobile marine megafauna (birds, mammals and fish), such as protected area
design, management and monitoring, conservation strategies, research and evidence needs. This
post will be involved in the provision of statutory advice on nature conservation of birds in
the marine environment, in particular relating to impacts of industry on these species in UK
offshore waters. The post-holder will also contribute to various industry-funded projects
relating to improving the strategic evidence base for assessing industry impacts on marine
birds.

Post Duties

The postholder will carry out a range of projects and functions with the overall objective of
contributing to provision of advice regarding conservation of marine birds in waters around the
UK. Examples are provided below but this is not prescriptive nor exhaustive.

• Contribute to the provision of advice to government and offshore industry efficiently. This
  will involve working in close collaboration with other JNCC staff in the Marine Species Team
  and the Marine Management Team in particular. In some cases, this will also require
  co-ordination with colleagues in the country conservation bodies.
• Work with partner organisations to improve the evidence base for quantifying impacts of
  industry on marine birds, particularly offshore wind, and assessing potential measures to
  mitigate and compensate for negative impacts.
• Improve understanding of wider drivers of change for threatened marine bird populations,
  and management interventions that can improve overall status and resilience.
• Contribute to work providing outputs such as evidence collation and synthesis, the
  identification of key knowledge gaps on the potential impacts of offshore industry activities
  on marine birds, and the development of research ideas and proposals to close gaps.
• Provide support across several evidence projects, both government and industry-funded, as
  required, such as the Offshore Wind Strategic Monitoring and Research Forum, the Offshore Wind
  Environmental Evidence Register and the OWEC project ProcBe on Manx Shearwater and storm-petrel
  behaviour at sea.
• Provide advice on licences for certain offshore activities, particularly offshore wind
  (training will be provided).

Technical

To be a successful candidate you will be/have:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject and/or relevant
  recent practical work experience.
• A good understanding of marine conservation issues, in particular anthropogenic influences
  on marine birds and ecosystems.

Experience (Responsibilities)

To be a successful candidate you will have:

• The ability to critically review scientific information, appraise and effectively
  communicate uncertainty, and provide high quality, risk-based, impartial advice.
• The ability to work collaboratively with others to develop common understanding and joint
  approaches to assessment/use of evidence.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex information, both
  verbally and written, to non-technical audiences.
• Experience of handling quantitative ecological information, including data management,
  analysis, interpreting information and presenting findings.

Behaviours

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

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 Working Together

Please see the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade.

Nationality requirements 

This job is broadly open to the following groups: 

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply
  for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the
  Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

JNCC do not provide sponsorship.

Closing date and interview date

The closing date for this post is 23:55 on 01April 2024.

The anticipated interview date is week commencing 22 April 2024.