Citizen Science Officer

Citizen Science Officer

Salary £23,000 - £25,000 pa dependent on experience

If you are passionate about Nature, understand the need for data and research for the benefit of nature and want to use your communication and organisation skills to get others involved, this could be your ideal role!

Across Surrey (and beyond) there are individuals volunteering to gather data, observe habitats and submit survey responses to build up the data held on the flora and fauna in rural and urban spaces.  The participation of citizen science volunteers in the collection of habitat and species data is an integral part of our research and monitoring programme and is at the core of the Trust’s work.  It is also crucial for generating records for Surrey Biodiversity Information Centre (SBIC – the Local Environmental Records Centre for Surrey).

We are looking for a Citizen Science Officer to coordinate this collective effort – to be successful you must be an excellent communicator with an interest in engaging volunteers to undertake fieldwork and data collection.  You could be an enthusiastic graduate (in a relevant discipline) or be already working within the environmental sector.

A key part of the post is the co-ordination of citizen science (through the development and deployment of “ground-truthing” habitat surveys on a number of test sites) for Space4Nature – a three-year project working in partnership with University of Surrey, Buglife and the Painshill Park Trust that will enlist the help of the public to inform research in the newly emerging field of Earth Observation, combining satellite technology and artificial intelligence, to monitor and improve wildlife habitats.

Allied to this is the support and co-ordination of expert volunteer biological recorders and independent recording groups whose activities are essential to Surrey Biological Information Centre. 

You will need to be self-motivated and organised. A background in conservation/ecology is essential, experience of data management, GIS and other mapping systems plus proficient IT skills will help to enable you to fulfil the role.

Our offices are in Pirbright and near Leatherhead; our hybrid working policy aims to provide a good work/life balance which can incorporate partial home working whilst having an interesting working environment.  The salary offered to successful applicants will form part of a benefits package including: above minimum pension contributions, life assurance of 4 x salary, employee support scheme, 22 days holiday, flexible / hybrid working policy.

We are committed to having an inclusive and diverse workplace and encourage applications from backgrounds which may be underrepresented in our sector, including people from minority ethnic backgrounds and people with disabilities.  We aim to offer an interview to all candidates that meet the essential criteria for the post. Please let us know if you require any adjustment to make our recruitment process more accessible; recruitment will be in person unless covid guidance recommends otherwise.

Please apply using the Application Form available on our website and send to Andrew Jamieson, Space for Nature Project Manager, andrew.jamieson@surreywt.org.uk, by midday Friday 20^th January 2023. Interviews will be week commencing 30^th January 2023.

Guided by a collaborative vision where we all play a part in connecting nature, we provide expert advice and guidance to landowners and managers, making sure the land we look after leads by example, while inspiring and educating people and organisations across the county on what they can do. By doing this we will create a Surrey that is full of diverse and abundant wildlife, where nature is at the heart of individual choices, corporate decisions, and local economic and policy making. One that helps tackle the ongoing climate emergency, while supporting the health and wellbeing of all who live here.