About the job

Job summary

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 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 www.forestresearch.gov.uk

A forest ecology research assistant position is available to help support a portfolio of forest ecology research projects including two projects that are focussed on understanding tree condition and tree-associated biodiversity responses to forest management and land use change.

The post-holder will be a member of the Land use and Ecosystem Services Research Group within the Centre for Forest Management. The Centre leads FR's research into climate change, urban forests, silviculture, land use and ecosystem services, and the ways in which society values trees. The post-holder will also be working in close association with the Centre for Forest Protection and with project partners at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, the University of Reading and the University of Manchester. The Centre for Forest Protection is a Joint venture led by Forest Research and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, that combines the strengths and expertise of each organisation. 

The forest ecology team the post-holder will be joining, is at the forefront in the forestry sector of applying molecular tools (DNA metabarcoding) as a direct measure of biodiversity. Forest diversification and tree functional trait effects on biodiversity and forest resilience are other key specialist research topic strengths. The team has strong national and international links, publishing widely in peer-reviewed, applied and trade journals.

Job description

The successful applicant will work in a multi-disciplinary team primarily on two inter-linked projects that are assessing variables that influence the regeneration success and associated biodiversity of young trees growing in former agricultural land. The role of mycorrhizal fungi and specific tree species mixtures in facilitating tree establishment and resilience to environmental stress are key work areas. The end goals of these projects are to provide recommendations on best practice improvements to current tree planting and natural colonisation protocols.

More information on these two research projects can be found here:

https://www.forestprotection.uk/project/2210-evaluating-genetic-and-environmental-bottlenecks-in-planted-and-naturally-colonised-young-woodlands/

Fungi for Forest Restoration (Fungi4Restor) - Forest Research

The job holder will undertake field, laboratory, greenhouse and office-based work, receiving training and guidance from senior members of staff. Examples of fieldwork include assessments of young tree growth, health and associated biotic and abiotic environmental variables. Some of this work will be at FR’s ‘Climate match’ provenance/species diversification trials: TreeDivNet - Climate Match (UK) (ugent.be).

Laboratory-based work will include microscopic analyses of mycorrhizae as well as root and foliar assessments (e.g. using Winrhizo). The job holder will have the opportunity to contribute to other forest biodiversity projects, including monitoring and assessment of mammals and arthropods.  

 Key Work Areas

 The successful applicant will be required to:

 - Undertake varied field-based assessments (collecting data on multiple abiotic and biotic variables). The field work component may require some long days and some overnight stays

 - Liaise with colleagues to develop realistic work schedules; carefully plan and monitor time allocation on multiple projects

 - Lab-based processing of field samples in readiness for analysis at external labs, ensuring quality control standards are met (e.g. clean fine roots and extract mycorrhizal root tips under a microscope under sterile conditions, label samples and produce sample manifests). This work requires attention to detail

 - Be involved in field and greenhouse study sample design, helping to set up and maintain greenhouse experiments

 - With guidance, share and archive code and data responsibly for quality assurance purposes and to facilitate collaboration

 - Undertake a number of administrative duties (e.g. logging equipment purchases, fieldwork expenses)

 - Be involved in the production of written reports to research funders and peer-reviewed publications in collaboration with colleagues and project partners

 - Work with other members of the forest ecology team in an interdisciplinary manner. 

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Honours degree with substantial content of ecology; environmental science; forest science; physical science or biological sciences or equivalent experience
• Experience of ecology field work, ecological sampling techniques, the measurement of physical variables
• Excellent organisational, sample/data handling and record keeping skills.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience in collecting and analysing UK forest ecology data
• Experience in statistical analysis of data
• Experience in the identification of ground vegetation, fungi and/or arthropods
• Experience in good laboratory practice including the use of microscopes, H&S processes
• Evidence of excellent writing skills aimed at a range of audiences

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,941, Forestry Commission - Forest Research contributes £7,544 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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Sift Date:                       5 August 2024
Interview Date:              9 August 2024

If a large volume of applications is received, then we will sift on Experience/Technical Expertise and the Lead Behaviour, Working Together.  However, candidates will be expected to answer all questions on all behaviours at the interview stage.  

We require the applicant to have a full current driving licence that enables them to drive in the UK. We will consider any proposals that would allow applicants to do the job by other means.

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Forest Research which may be at a lower grade but which have a potential skills match.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

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. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.