Lead Specialist Scientist - Aquaculture

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Scottish Environment Protection Agency provided pay range

This range is provided by Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

Your passion has never had a greater purpose

Here at SEPA, we’re connected by a passion that drives us to be purposeful in every action we take – to protect our environment. Through our expertise, we lead projects that make a difference for Scotland, and our workplaces are grounded in respect for that expertise.

That’s why, when you join us as Lead Specialist Scientist – Aquaculture, you’ll discover enriching benefits, meaningful support, and opportunities to learn every day. That’s what it means to be Passionately Purposeful – for our environment, and for your career.

Work that goes beyond your desk

Experts at what we do, we work in a professional way towards our shared goals, knowing the work we do makes a genuine, lasting difference on the environment.

This new post will provide a lead role in developing the evidence required to help SEPA effectively regulate marine fish farming within Scotland, with a focus on supporting SEPA’s Sea Lice Regulatory Framework. The latter is designed to contribute to achieving the objectives of the Scottish Wild Salmon Strategy, the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and River Basin Management Plans.

The role will include:

• Leading on the provision of expert, robust, scientific data and advice on the interactions between wild salmonids and sea lice from marine fish farms
• Leading on the design, delivery and review of national scale monitoring programmes, and coordinating the resources and projects needed to delivery them.
• Advising on state-of-the-art monitoring methods and their potential to produce suitable data on interactions between sea lice and wild salmon and sea trout.
• Communicating findings and advising on their implications for SEPA\’s regulatory decision making and Scottish Government policy.
• Providing technical, evidence-based advice on future adaptations of SEPA’s regulatory framework.

Qualifications

• Relevant experience or qualification equivalent to SCQF Level 10 (e.g. relevant Degree)
• A comprehensive knowledge of interactions between the marine fish farming industry and wild salmonids, including a full understanding of relevant associated legislation, policy and guidance
• Well-developed planning and project management skills, with the ability to design monitoring programmes to address complex, large scale environmental issues
• Advanced analytical skills required, in order to evaluate and interpret complex data sets, and communicate the implications to a broad audience
• Written skills will be important in report composition and the presentation of complex and detailed proposals and recommendations
• Full Driving Licence, valid in the UK

Benefits

• Hybrid and Flexible working opportunities
• Up to 35 days annual leave and 7 additional public holidays each year (pro rata)
• Paid time off to support your Wellbeing and enable you to Volunteer in your community
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Progressive Family Friendly policies
• Training & development to enable colleagues to improve their skills, competencies and knowledge to perform at their best.

SEPA is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and good relations in everything it does – as a community leader, as a provider and commissioner of services, and as an employer.

Passionately Purposeful about Scotland’s environment – and your career.

We recruit solely based on merit. Our shortlisting process is conducted on an anonymous basis. Please ensure that you include all relevant information when you apply.

We support flexible working arrangements to help you maintain a healthy balance between career and homelife. This includes working part time, reduced hours, job sharing, working remotely. As a flexible first employer we are open to having conversations about flexible working arrangements that work for you and SEPA from day 1 of your employment with us.

We are proud to be a \’Disability Confident\’ employer and will work to identify and implement reasonable adjustments and equipment to support you in the role that you do.

Applicants with a visual impairment can request job descriptions and application forms in Braille, large print or on tape.

For the security and wellbeing of our colleagues, successful candidates will undergo Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) pre-employment checks including a level one Disclosure Scotland check.

If you have questions or need any assistance with the recruitment process please contact SEPA’s Recruitment Team at recruitment@sepa.org.uk

Apply now to join a Passionately Purposeful workplace

Seniority level

Mid-Senior level

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Research, Analyst, and Information Technology

Industries

Public Safety