Science Area/Directorate Coordinator in Wallingford

Salary - £38,939 - £41,321 depending on experience

Hybrid working (50/50)

Location: Wallingford, Lancaster, Edinburgh, Bangor

Closing date: Monday 13th April 2026

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we find the right candidate, so we encourage you to apply early.

Are you proactive, people-focused and passionate about driving and shaping change? Do you thrive working independently, building strong relationships, and supporting talented scientists and senior leaders? If so, we want to hear from you!

We are looking for an enthusiastic person to join us as a Science Area Coordinator / Science Directorate Coordinator, supporting the Environmental Pressures and Responses (EPR) Science Area and the UKCEH Science Programme Office (SPO). We are looking for someone thoughtful, organised and keen to learn about our science and people behind it, who communicates openly and clearly and works with care and integrity.

Science Area Coordinators (SACs) support the Science Area, Group Heads and Associate Science Directors (ASDs); and Science Directorate Coordinators (SDCs) support the central Science Programme Office. This permanent role is open to be delivered by a single individual or as a split part-time role for 2 individuals (0.5 FTE as a SAC in EPR and 0.5 FTE as an SDC in the SPO). Please specify your preferred working pattern and the roles you wish to be considered for in your application.

Working at UKCEH is rewarding and you will join:

• Our team in Environmental Pressures and Responses works across air, land and water to undertake and support research to characterise a range of contaminants and pollutants which, or have potential to, affect the function of ecological systems and improve understanding of their ecological effects, and to inform action to address.
• Our small central team in the Science Programme Office works across all our Science Areas supporting delivery of organisational-level Research excellence and Research governance activities (e.g. research ethics, research integrity, fora secretariat, etc).

You may have experience in a research support role, or research project support role and are ready to contribute to the effective coordination, planning and management of our science operations. You’ll also join a network of science coordinators, contributing to a collaborative and consistent approach to how we manage science across the organisation upholding excellence, teamwork, and integrity.

There is a strong requirement to collaborate and communicate within and across teams in UKCEH at all levels of the business, and potentially with external stakeholders.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• SAC: Working to the Science Area Manager in EPR and contributing to the coordination of the operational management of the Groups and Science Area, providing knowledge and information to support your teams in delivering effective and joined up delivery of operational/management tasks.
• SDC: Working to the Science Directorate Business Manager and contributing to the coordination and provision of knowledge and information to support the Science Programme Office in delivering effective and joined up delivery of operational/management tasks.
• Maintaining or obtaining information from corporate systems to provide data, summary reports and effectively delivering business administration and operations.
• Building effective working relationships with internal stakeholders, to ensure collaborative and constructive delivery of activities. This includes collaborating with colleagues to support stakeholder and partnership engagements.
• Assisting in ensuring reporting on delivery of key corporate science deliverables in or across Science Areas, and compliance with internal procedures to support the science area to deliver its goals and wider corporate needs.
• Supporting communication, outreach and output, playing an active role in managing and planning a wide range of meetings, communications, and digital outputs on various platforms, including production of presentations, meeting papers, dissemination and tracking of actions.
• Secretary for Science Area management or Science Leadership committees chaired by Associate Science Director/Science Director.
• Developing an understanding of the portfolio of science within the Science Area/s, showing emergent understanding of relevant funders, stakeholders and partners.
• Consistently seek to improve our science coordination offering, maintaining the highest levels of excellence, teamwork, and integrity.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced coordinator or science administrator who is comfortable working in an agile way but is also seeking the variety and complexity that a research environment can offer. In return, you’ll be joining a leading independent, not-for-profit research institute that’s committed to recruiting talented people like you, progressing your career and giving you the support you need to thrive at UKCEH.

For the role of Science Area/Directorate Coordinator, we’re looking for somebody who:

• Holds a degree in a relevant science subject, or can demonstrate equivalent knowledge.
• At least 3 years' work experience in research science administration or equivalent.
• Demonstrates excellent presentation, communication skills, able to compile and provide communication material for all levels of the business and non-technical experts.
• Has strong analytical skills (data and information), and experience of Microsoft programmes and SharePoint.
• Experience building and managing effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Evidence of delivering against multiple priorities across short term-deliverables and longer-term objectives.

Desirable:

• Previously worked within a research environment.
• Power-BI, Power Query, other advanced data analysis and visualisation skills.

Working for UKCEH is rewarding. We appreciate the continuous dedication and contributions of our staff, which is why we provide a comprehensive benefits package that includes financial incentives and wellbeing-oriented perks, such as:

• 27 days annual leave (rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service) plus 3 days for Christmas closure.
• 10% employer pension contribution.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (role dependant).
• Peer reward and recognition scheme.
• Dental insurance, gym/fitness discounts, retail discount portal.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
• 24-hour, 365-day support with physical, mental, social, health or financial issues and much more.

Apply today! If this opportunity resonates with you and aligns with your personal career goals, the team would love to receive your application. Please apply by submitting your CV along with a covering letter that highlights any qualifications, skills or experience you believe are relevant to this role.

At UKCEH, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone—regardless of background, identity, ability, or circumstance—has the opportunity to thrive. As a Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates and those with disabilities. We are happy to provide any adjustments or support you may need throughout the application process—please don’t hesitate to reach out. So, if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we’d love to hear from you anyway. You may be just the right fit for this role or another within our wider team.

To do: Please upload a CV and cover letter outlining how your experience fits this role. Please note: Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role, and this does not qualify for endorsement to support a Global Talent Visa application. If you are considering pursuing self-sponsorship, please indicate this in your application so we can take it into account during the recruitment process.