Spatial Data Scientist at UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology seeks a Spatial Data Scientist to analyze spatial data related to environmental pollutants. Responsibilities include developing datasets, collaborating with a team, and communicating findings. Candidates should have a relevant degree and experience with spatial data analysis tools. The position offers benefits like flexible working and requires occasional travel. This is a full-time role based in Lancaster, United Kingdom.
UKCEH is searching for an expert Spatial Data Scientist to become a part of our 600-strong team, offering scientific breakthroughs, data, and insights that researchers, businesses, and governments need to address complex environmental challenges. As a part of our team, you will receive a range of amazing rewards and benefits, including: 27 days’ annual leave (rising to 29 after 5 years), 10% employer pension contribution, enhanced maternity and paternity leave, 24/7 access to support with physical, mental, social, health or financial issues, flexible working opportunities, and more.

Do you have a great motivation, numeracy, and an interest in using your spatial data analysis abilities to look into the behaviour and discharge of environmental pollutants such as chemicals and pesticides? Are you passionate about developing your skills in an innovative research atmosphere?

If yes, you will become a part of a small yet dynamic team, managing multiple projects with regard to the fate and effects of chemical pollutants in soils and freshwaters. Your main duties will be developing spatial data sets and models of pollutant inputs to freshwaters, comprising datasets of future possibilities in collaboration with stakeholders from the public and private realms.

The scope of this position is adaptable and dependent on your interests and skills, which could involve fate modelling and risk examination of environmental pollutants. As a part of a leading and independent not-for-profit research institute, UKCEH is committed to finding talented individuals and offering them the opportunity to progress and introduce value.

Your main responsibilities will involve:

• Collaborating closely with pollutant fate modellers, making use of your skills to construct spatial and temporal datasets of the inputs of polluting chemicals into soils and freshwaters

• If suitable, taking part in participatory co-design of future scenarios of polluting chemical inputs

• Collaborating inside the Environmental Contaminants team, with other professionals in UKCEH which includes hydrologists, geochemists, and ecotoxicologists, and with external partners

• Interpreting results and communicating these to other professionals and non-specialists inside and outside UKCEH

• Contributing your competencies to funding proposals, papers and reports, including as the lead author

We are searching for somebody who:

• Has a PhD or MSc/BSc in a related field (e.g. Natural Science, Environmental Science, Geography)

• Has experience in analysing spatial data (e.g. using ArcGIS, QGIS, R and/or Python), creating scripts/applications in a high level language (e.g. R, Python, Julia or Matlab)

• Possesses excellent communication and time management abilities, including the capacity to communicate scientific and data ideas to non-specialists

• Can integrate datasets from multiple resources to form derived datasets (desirable)
• Note: This position involves occasional attendance at international events and conferences, and a readiness to travel abroad is mandatory. Please read the full selection criteria on our careers page