Spatial Scientist x2

Want to work at the cutting edge of environmental science?  Passionate about making a difference and playing your part in tackling the climate and nature crisis?  Forest Research (FR) is all about giving top quality evidence and advice to policymakers and practitioners to make a positive impact on the ground. Internationally recognised, we need people who have the skills and passion to work on excellent science and provide practical solutions for nature.

We’re small enough that your voice is heard, yet large enough, as part of the Forestry Commission, that we have everything on hand to get the job done, as well as a variety of career pathways.  Our staff are dedicated to their work and sharing it with others to bring positive change for our planet.  And you will find us a flexible and inclusive employer, so you can have a work life balance that is tailor-made to your circumstances. So, whether it’s climate or carbon, pests or pathogens, behaviour or biodiversity that interests you, you can be assured of a warm welcome to the team. To find out more, visit forestresearch.gov.uk.

The Land Use and Ecosystem Services (LUES) Science Group conducts research to increase our understanding of the influence of land use on the biodiversity, resilience and ecosystem services (ES) provided by woodland landscapes. This research is used to help policymakers, forest managers and planners understand and assess how the specific placement and management of woodlands affects biodiversity, resilience and the delivery of ES at various scales. We further research the effects of climate change on forest resilience and the delivery of ES.

Our work is varied, and our growing research programme is multi-disciplinary and very well integrated with other science groups within FR and various university research departments. LUES has very strong national and international links, and our group publishes widely in peer-review, applied and trade journals. Expert advice and guidance is provided to the forest industry and research results directly inform forest policy and practice.

The successful applicant will assist with the development and advancement of our land use, biodiversity, climate change impacts and ecosystem service research led by Science Group Leader.  Working in a multi-disciplinary team, they will support and undertake research involving spatial analysis, analysis of large datasets, development of code and data visualisation.

The role will encompass a range of project work including potential impacts of climate change and management on forest and trees, ecological connectivity across landscapes, ecosystem service assessment. The successful applicant will therefore be proficient in R coding and GIS (ArcGIS and/or QGIS) with experience of handling, analysing, and classifying spatial environmental datasets (e.g. land cover, habitat and climate data). They will be expected to develop reproducible procedures and code and to carefully handle and archive code and data.

The successful applicant will be expected to work as part of a team and at other times independently. Some time may be required liaising with customers or external stakeholders in addition to technology transfer and knowledge exchange.

Key Work Areas:

The successful applicant will be required to:

• Develop R procedures and code for spatial analysis applications 
• Manage, share and archive code and data responsibly for quality assurance purposes and to facilitate collaboration
• Research and suggest solutions to spatial analysis problems and provide GIS support, working with colleagues to support the development of novel forest landscape ecology research and decision-making tools
• Analyse, model and interpret spatial data, quantitative and qualitative data sets and indices for models
• Develop data visualisation approaches to communicate research findings
• Contribute to the production of written reports to research funders and peer-reviewed publications in collaboration with colleagues and project partners
• Liaise with colleagues to develop realistic work schedules; carefully plan and monitor time allocation on multiple projects
• Keep up to date with major developments in the field of statistical modelling, GIS and spatial ecology

Essential Criteria:

• Honours degree or equivalent with substantial content of forest science; environmental science; physical science; soil sciences or biological sciences   
• Proficient user and coder of R, including raster packages
• Competent user of GIS systems for spatial analysis using both vector and raster data
• Experience in forest science, forest ecology, forest biometrics and/or landscape ecology
• Experience in analysing, modelling and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data sets
• Experience of handling, manipulating and modelling spatial data. They will need to demonstrate excellent organisational, data handling and record keeping skills
• Applicants should demonstrate relevant experience, ideally in spatial modelling in a research environment

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience in using UK forestry data
• Experience in measuring landscape metrics (e.g. habitat connectivity) and modelling tree species distributions, modelling ecosystem services and biodiversity/species habitat suitability

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

Your career

• Excellent professional development opportunities which are tailored to your role, with paid professional membership subscriptions, mentoring, and Civil Service Learning available to all
• access to world class laboratory facilities, as well as state of the art buildings within forest or science park settings

Your work/life balance

• flexible working options such as: up to two days flexi leave per month, blended working, part-time working, paid special leave, career breaks, and unpaid leave. Parents and carers will be supported to enable you to manage work and family responsibilities
• A generous annual leave allowance of 25 days per year, rising to 30 days after 5 years (pro-rata for part-timers). Plus 2.5 days of additional leave and 8 days’ paid bank/public holidays

Your wellbeing

• Wellbeing support and staff networks and including Mental Health First Aiders, Rainbow Canopy (LGBTQ+) and an Employee Assistance Programme
• We want you to feel part of something bigger and we encourage a community feel in our workplaces, with everything from cookery competitions to Pilates and fell running, plus topical talks at Wellbeing Wednesdays and Feelgood Fridays
• Paid volunteering leave of 3 days per year so you can give back to your community and charitable causes by sharing your skills and time

Your benefits

• a highly competitive Civil Service Pension where employer contributions are up to 26% of your salary
• an employee benefits scheme offering discounts on groceries, gym memberships, holidays, days out, online retailers and high street shops
• Cycle to Work scheme and Interest free loans
• Free parking is offered on-site, alongside electric car charging ports
• With maternity, adoption, and/or shared parental leave there’s the flexibility to have up to 26 weeks full pay, followed by 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid leave. Paternity leave of up to two weeks is available with full pay.

Any move to Forest Research 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/.

Job contact :

• Name : hr.services@forestresearch.gov.uk
• Email : hr.services@forestresearch.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hr.services@forestresearch.gov.uk