1011-411 Marine Benthic and Database Adviser – D Grade – June 2026 in London

NatureScot is Scotland’s nature agency. We are committed to working with others to tackle both the climate emergency and biodiversity loss to ensure a nature-rich future for all. Part of our work includes improving awareness and understanding of Scotland’s Marine Protected Area network and of information relevant to the conservation of Scotland’s seas to a range of decision makers and audiences.

This role will focus on ensuring marine sensitivity information is accessible to a wide range of audiences through our online Feature Activity Sensitivity Tool – FeAST. FeAST has been developed using Craft Content Management System and allows users to investigate the sensitivity of marine features in Scotland’s seas against pressures arising from human activities. The ambition for FeAST is to hold sensitivity information for all marine features of conservation importance in Scotland (e.g. Priority Marine Features and protected features of Marine Protected Areas) in a transparent and consistent manner.

The successful candidate will project manage the ongoing development updates and bug fixes to the tool, update the data it holds, develop training resources and upload new feature sensitivity information to support a planned Scottish Government consultation on management measures for fishing activity for MPAs and PMFs. Producing new benthic feature sensitivity assessments and editing a range of existing assessments with specialist advisers is also required.

The post will sit within the Marine Ecosystems Team but will require working with our contracted digital developer alongside staff in NatureScot’s Sustainable Coast and Seas Team, our Information and Cyber Security Team, and with external partners such as JNCC. The post-holder may also need to contribute to the wider work of the Marine Ecosystems Team. Flexibility in working patterns and days can be provided to accommodate the suitable candidate.

• Project manage the system development of FeAST with contracted software developers, to improve functionality and user experience e.g. collating, clarifying and communicating user stories for ongoing development, user acceptance testing of developer outputs.
• Coordinating and applying the content updates (including reference lists) for FeAST using the Craft CMS software to import, edit and delete records, and provide quality assurance. This may involve the use of AI software.
• Ensuring privacy, cyber security and accessibility compliance.
• Updating and producing new sensitivity assessments for benthic marine features, including reviewing relevant literature (e.g. such sensitivity information from MarLIN).
• Coordinate and support the completion of sensitivity assessments by other specialist advisers in NatureScot.
• Develop and provide training and materials to support FeAST users – including NatureScot staff, external organisations and others.
• Help promote FeAST, its purpose, benefits and use.
• Contribute to the wider work of the Marine Ecosystems team as required.

A degree in a relevant subject, ideally complemented by postgraduate research or professional experience or equivalent. A sound understanding of the marine benthic ecology, habitats and species of Scotland, the activities and pressures that affect them and issues relating to their conservation and recovery. Data and relational database management experience (experience with use of Craft CMS software or equivalent would be useful). Technical knowledge and/or experience of systems development processes and methods, including agile development. Project management experience, particularly useful if related to digital development projects, including the ability to prioritise work, adapt to changing priorities and work to deadlines. Competent in using Excel and meticulous with detail. Good interpersonal skills with a proven ability to work as part of a team and independently. Effective written and verbal communications, especially the ability to convey complex information clearly and confidently to a variety of audiences.

• Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK and resident in Scotland for the duration of the job contract.
• To undertake a Disclosure Scotland application.
• Although Gaelic language is not a prerequisite it is a desirable skill in support of our commitment to our Gaelic Language Plan.

NatureScot offers some great benefits to reward and support you whilst you are working for us. Our benefits package includes the civil service pension scheme, a generous holiday leave allowance plus flexi time, and employee discount scheme. We support flexible working for all roles, including part-time, compressed hours, hybrid working and job share. All vacancies are considered suitable for flexible working unless there is a business reason not to. We encourage applicants to discuss potential flexible working arrangements with us.

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% (7.35% employee contributions), days of annual leave, including 5 fixed public holidays on St Andrews Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2nd January. Equivalent of 2 days paid volunteering leave. A focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme. Job satisfaction from contributing proactively to the twinned nature and climate crisis. Death in service benefits. Cycle to work and electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes. Access to an employee discounts scheme. Learning and development tailored to your role. A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity. Nature is vital to all of us, so it is vital that we are an organisation for all of Scotland. The more diverse NatureScot is, the better we will be in connecting everyone with nature. We particularly encourage applications from people from Minority Ethnic backgrounds and people with a disability.