Seagrass Research Officer - Bridgend, United Kingdom - Project Seagrass

Description

Job Title:
Seagrass Research Officer

Theme:
Research


Job Title:
Seagrass Research Officer


Salary:
£36,000 - £44,000


Hours of work: 35 hours per week to include some occasional weekend and evening working as required.


Location:
Bridgend, South Wales


Introduction
Project Seagrass is an environmental charity devoted to the conservation of seagrass ecosystems through community, research, and action.

Our mission is to lead societal change to enable the recognition, recovery, and resilience of seagrass ecosystems globally; that provide biodiversity, equitable and sustainable livelihoods, and planetary life support.

This role is funded by our Seagrass Ocean Rescue programme which is a research and conservation collaboration between Swansea University, WWF and Project Seagrass that seeks to facilitate, inspire and act to restore 3000 hectares of seagrass by 2030.

This builds on successful trials and projects across Wales, England and Scotland.

This scientific post will take a lead on restoration work in North Wales and pull together data from across our UK sites, including our nursery, to improve methods and drive forward restoration science.

The post is to be initially appointed on a fixed term contract but significant funding opportunities suggest potential for an extended or ongoing position.

Background information
The post holder will have a marine ecological background, preferably with experience of interdisciplinary working. Preferably the post holder will have knowledge and experience in temperate seagrass or other marine habitat restoration.

The post holder will be an integral part of the team at Project Seagrass working with stakeholders, partners, and collaborators ensure wide dissemination and knowledge sharing with the marine conservation and research sectors.

Project Seagrass have a strong commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals including Sustainable Development Goal 17 "partnerships for the goals." Collaboration and partnership are integral to advancing science and securing successful seagrass restoration, and the SDGs, more broadly, can only be realized with strong global partnerships and cooperation.

Project Seagrass have a range of aquaria and field facilities alongside our seagrass nursery site in West Wales.

This includes a range of mechanised equipment for large-scale seagrass planting, multispectral drones, an ROV and our marine research vessel for diving and restoration work.

The post holder would need to have a skill set applicable to utilising such facilities.


Main Purpose of Post

• Provide high level, technical scientific leadership to seagrass restoration operations in North Wales
• Lead scientific input into seagrass restoration operations for Seagrass Ocean Rescue sites in North Wales
• Lead scientific outputs and deliverables from Seagrass Ocean Rescue North Wales.
• Proactively contribute to and conduct seagrass restoration activities.
• Lead on technical reporting to communities, funders and stakeholders
• Provide scientific leadership for data analysis for reporting and knowledge sharing.
• Coordinate management tasks across project partners
• Providing operational/logistics leadership across Seagrass Ocean Rescue activities
• Lead on preparation of scientific outputs such as reports describing the results of the seagrass restoration activities.
• Provide support and expertise to ongoing seagrass restoration projects in the UK (Wales, England and Scotland) to improve their efficiency and success.
• Lead associated seagrass restoration field and lab studies in collaboration with other Project Seagrass staff and projects.
• Proactively contribute to and conduct research, including gathering, preparing and analysing data and presenting results, exhibiting a degree of independence in terms of specifying the focus and direction of the research.
• Prepare reports, and academic research papers describing the results of the research for publication. The appointee is expected to be actively engaged in the writing and publishing of research papers, particularly those intended for publication in refereed (eg international) journals or comparable as a normal part of their role.
• Interact positively and professionally with other collaborators and partners within Project Seagrass.
• Line managing project support staff where relevant.

General Duties

• Contribute to Project Seagrass organisational matters to help it run smoothly and to help raise its external research profile.
• Promote equity and diversity in working practices and maintain positive working relationships.
• Conduct the job role and all activities in accordance with safety, health and sustainability policies and management systems, to reduce risks and impacts arising from the work activity.
• Provide support towards Seagrass Ocean Rescue team motivation.
• Promoting our charitable aims, inclusive culture and Project Seagrass brand.
• Travel for fieldwork, events an