SSO – Earth Observation and Monitoring Devices

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.About the programme

The Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment Programme (NCEA) sits in the Central Analysis and Insights Directorate, overseen by Defra’s Chief Scientific Advisor. The programme aims to deliver a world-class knowledge capability for our natural environment which enables us to enhance our landscapes, improve biodiversity and encourage innovation. It will; develop integrated, adaptive and collaborative methods to measure our land and freshwater environments; transform physical and digital infrastructure to underpin, facilitate and present our understanding to aid decision-making; and deliver data, evidence-based insight and understanding to inform ambitious, proactive and sustainable policy decisions. The operating value of the Programme is c.£55m a year with completion due in 2028. Key partners include; the Environment Agency, Forest Research, JNCC, Natural England, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

About the NCEA Science Design and Assurance (SDA) team

The SDA team is one of four G6 led teams in the core of the NCEA programme. The team is responsible for ensuring the science undertaken by the programme follows best practice and is aligned to realising the Programme’s benefits in a timely and cost-effective manner.

The team leads on

(i) Science Assurance, working with delivery partners to ensure that projects are established with the best science to meet policy and legislative goals; (ii) Acting as NCEA’s intelligent customer for environmental monitoring, ensuring that plans are workable and contribute to programme outcomes; (iii) Promoting a science culture within the workings of the programme, adhering to the principles of a good science, with the aim of delivering the best possible science outcomes; (iv) Science design, ensuring that there is a sound monitoring survey design which will endure, building a strong evidence base for environmental assessment.

Encouraging diverse applicants

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities.

About the role

The programme is looking for an experienced professional with time working on earth observation and mapping, acoustic monitoring, continuous monitoring devices and similar techniques. This role is critical to delivery of a sustainable future model of environmental monitoring. You will use your expertise to explore and develop these techniques in the context of a) contributing to a baseline assessment of the environment within the life of the programme and b) designing a future sustainable model of environmental monitoring for Defra Group.

The SSO Remote Sensing & Monitoring Devices will work within a diverse, dispersed team of natural scientists and policy colleagues, supporting delivery of all projects in the programme as required but with a particular emphasis on their specialist area. The post holder will contribute to science assurance, briefings for Project Director and SRO, support for policy accounts, identifying and solving technical issues for delivery and maintaining technical relationships with partner organisations. The post holder will give science advice to support delivery of projects in a timely and cost-effective manner. Identify and work with others to effectively resolve issues to support successful programme delivery.

Key responsibilities

• Enable successful delivery of the tNCEA Remote Sensing, and Innovation Projects, in particular ensuring the delivery of robust and high-quality outputs which support user needs through the science assurance process. Work as an intelligent customer to our delivery partners to support delivery of the work packages in line with customer requirements. Provide guidance and direction to the team and the programme on the use of Remote Sensing, acoustic and continuous monitoring devices.
• Support the Policy Accounts team with customer communications and requirements, using your technical expertise and in-depth understanding of tNCEA Remote Sensing, Mapping & Monitoring Devices work. This includes customers across Defra, UK Government and externally.
• Identify opportunities for innovation to support future sustainable environmental monitoring. Identify, develop and drive forward innovative solutions to monitoring natural capital assets and habitats through earth observation and other remote-sensing based approaches, working closely with external bodies and colleagues.
• Support cross-cutting programme activities as required, ensuring integration of remote sensing and mapping outputs. Monitor, challenge and guide the use of evidence and knowledge, challenging assumptions and current approaches.
• Develop, nurture, and manage stakeholder relationships to create and maintain a cohesive and collaborative environment for delivery. Represent tNCEA in the earth observation community.

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