About the job

Job summary

Do you want to play an important role in tackling the climate change emergency by helping to enable the sustainable development of offshore wind in Scotland?

We are looking for someone who is passionate about applying and communicating the best available science in policy and decision making, has expertise in underwater noise and bioacoustics and is enthusiastic about applying their analytical skills to improve understanding of the effect of human activities on the marine environment.  If this is you, then we would like to hear from you.

In January 2022, Crown Estate Scotland announced the successful applicants to the ScotWind offshore wind leasing round to commence a new phase of offshore wind farm construction in Scottish waters helping Scotland meet its Net Zero targets, become carbon neutral by 2045 and tackle the climate emergency. The Scottish Government is responsible for identifying where the ScotWind projects will be located, administering the related offshore planning consents, and ensuring that projects are delivered in an environmentally sustainable manner. The Renewables and Ecology Team (R&E) in the Marine Directorate provides specialist scientific advice to regulators and policy makers to support this.

The Marine Bioacoustician will provide scientific advice on underwater noise related to offshore renewable energy projects and other policy and management related areas. You will help to build the evidence base relied upon by decision makers, to ensure that our advice continues to be supported by the best available evidence. You will also work to collect, process, and analyse underwater acoustic data to support statutory reporting, as well as contributing to work to better understand the impacts of underwater noise to the marine environment.

The R&E team currently has around 25 staff who provide advice within government on the potential environmental impacts of marine energy on key receptors including birds, marine mammals, fish and fisheries, benthic habitats, and diadromous fish. Our specialists also provide advice on other Scottish Government policy priorities, such as marine protected area management and regulation of other marine activities.

Job description

• Provide scientific advice to regulators and policy makers on underwater noise and bioacoustics, informed by the best available evidence.
• Work within the team to collect, process, and analyse underwater acoustic data to provide outputs on noise levels and detection of marine species.
• Support the Senior Marine Bioacoustician in contributing to work streams around management of underwater noise in Scotland.

Person specification

1. A sound understanding of the possible impacts of underwater noise on marine mammals and other marine species, and current research relating to underwater noise.
2. Demonstrable experience in specialist software used to manage, manipulate and analyse sound data, for example Matlab, Python, R or PAMGuard.
3. The ability to work independently with good organisational skills and effectively manage projects.
4. Excellent analytical skills and the ability to make sense of complex information and make informed decision.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,585, Scottish Government contributes £9,877 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Sift and Interview dates TBC
Please apply using the link provided

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.