Location
Central London with hybrid working arrangements. Staff are expected to attend their associated office for 20% of their contractual hours. Travel expenses paid for work-related travel (excluding travel between home and office).

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£32,240 per annum plus £9,339 employer contribution towards the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme (28.97% employer contribution).

About the Role
Join Natural England and contribute to shaping a future where nature and people thrive. As the Government’s adviser for the natural environment and Nature regulator, Natural England provides evidence, expertise, and advice to recover nature and create better places for people to live.

The Higher Data Scientist Marine role is part of the Marine Evidence team within the Data Science Services of the Chief Scientist Directorate. This team manages and analyses marine data and evidence, supporting a range of projects from data management to evidence dissemination.

You will work predominantly with non-spatial marine datasets related to marine activities, pressures, and sensitivity assessments. Responsibilities include data management, processing, analysis, and documenting methodologies for internal and external communication.

Natural England offers flexible working options, excellent career progression, tailored training and development, generous leave allowance, and a supportive, inclusive culture. You will be part of a national team with access to 25 offices across England and hybrid working arrangements.

Experience
- Experience working with data and metadata processes, procedures, and workflows (essential).
- Database design and working with tabular data such as MS Access and MS Excel (essential).
- Coding skills including SQL and VBA (essential); Python, R, or similar (desirable).
- Familiarity with reference management software such as EndNote (essential).
- Knowledge of marine legislative drivers, projects, policies, and marine data standards such as INSPIRE and MEDIN (desirable).
- Understanding of marine ecology, habitat classification, data gathering, and survey methods (desirable).
- Experience or willingness to engage with spatial data management and analysis tools like ArcGIS Pro or QGIS (desirable).

About you
- Motivated to support evidence-led environmental decision-making.
- Able to handle data responsibly and comply with governance, policies, and procedures.
- Capable of managing and delivering work to meet agreed targets and deadlines.
- Ambitious and proactive in identifying improvements and sharing expertise.
- Comfortable applying new technologies to improve work delivery.
- Enthusiastic about working collaboratively within a supportive team environment.

Qualifications
Specific qualifications are not detailed, but relevant experience and skills in data science, marine science, or related fields are expected. A positive attitude towards learning and development is essential.