Senior Data Scientist – Geospatial Analysis and Modelling - ( Ref : 6393 ) in London

This position is based nationally.

We are Data Science Services (DSS). Our team is key to providing the best available evidence to underpin the work of Natural England and our partners in supporting thriving nature for people and planet. We provide expert analytical and data management services and ensure access to evidence through online systems and scientific publications.

Purpose of Role

To lead the development and delivery of robust analytical and data programmes and projects to increase efficiency and provide improved evidence to support the organisation's strategic objectives. To apply specialist skills and domain expertise to identify opportunities for data science to improve the evidence base to support the organisation's strategic objectives. To ensure quality and promote appropriate use of data and analysis (including uncertainty) to minimise risk and increase robustness of evidence underpinning advice, decision-making and delivery. This role has an initial focus on assisting the organisation with the delivery of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill (PIB), and the forthcoming Nature Restoration Fund (NRF). The role will work with the project team to develop the national-scale geospatial analytical processes and support the digital systems that underpin the NRF.

Key Tasks / Principal Accountabilities:

• Manage complex data and spatial analysis for high-priority projects in a fast-paced environment, meeting the evidence needs of Natural England, the Defra group, and other stakeholders.
• Put in place project data standards, processes, and systems, and exemplify a culture of quality, to ensure outputs are high-quality and robust (through good documentation and automation) so that customer decisions and advice can be based on quality evidence and outputs can be reproduced.
• Understand organisational objectives and engage with business planning processes to provide technical intel and assist with prioritisation and scoping of projects.
• Liaise with project leads, owners and teams to establish project planning and resourcing so that projects are delivered efficiently, with appropriate resource and capability, to a high standard, and progress, risks and issues can be monitored.
• Engage with customers and partners to identify and exploit opportunities for new or revised projects (inc. use of new technologies), or for developing projects to improve the evidence base, improve efficiency, build capability or generate funding.
• Build capability and develop others in the team and across NE (as appropriate) to enable effective analytical delivery and support resilience to absence and change.
• Liaise with relevant partners/authorities/professional networks to understand and interpret advice, standards, and best practice for relevant application in NE.

Competencies

• Professional competency: Extensive experience undertaking geospatial analysis using programming languages such as Python & R (Required).
• Professional competency: Extensive experience working with GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS) (Required).
• Professional competency: Experienced in using statistical techniques for identifying relationships between data and what can be inferred from these (Required).
• Professional competency: Experience of transforming data, including integrating different data types (e.g. spatial and non-spatial) and from different data sources using automated workflows and processes (Required).
• Professional competency: Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail (Required).
• Professional competency: Experience of defining and testing against quality assurance activities (e.g. verification, validation and analytical review), and implementing analytical and data standards (Required).
• Professional competency: Experience working with internal and external stakeholders, as well as working in a large, multidisciplinary team (Required).
• Professional competency: Able to clearly communicate the meaning of analytical outputs to a range of audiences and stakeholders, including the ability to present results and offer robust expert opinion (Required).
• Professional competency: Strong verbal and written communication skills (Required).
• Professional competency: Previous leadership experience, for example via mentoring and technical training (Desirable).

Person specification

Please refer to job description.

Alongside your salary of £37,950, Natural England contributes £10,994 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Learning and development tailored to your role.

An environment with flexible working options.

A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.

A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application; however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Selection process details: Please refer to job description. 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 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), 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.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction.