Marine Fish Telemetry Technician

Are you looking for a job which would allow you to play an important role in tackling the climate change emergency by helping to enable the sustainable development of offshore wind in Scotland? 

The Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government are looking for someone who is passionate about applying and communicating the best available science in policy and decision making, has expertise in acoustic telemetry and fieldwork and is enthusiastic about applying their analytical skills to improve the understanding of the effect of human activities on the marine environment.  If this is you, then we would like to hear from you. 

In January 2022, Crown Estate Scotland announced the successful applicants to the ScotWind offshore wind leasing round.  This phase of offshore wind leasing in Scottish waters will help Scotland meet its Net Zero targets, become carbon neutral by 2045 and tackle the climate emergency. The Scottish Government is responsible for identifying where the ScotWind projects will be located, administering the related offshore planning consents, and ensuring that projects are delivered in an environmentally sustainable manner. The Renewables and Ecology Team (R&E) in the Marine Directorate provide specialist scientific advice to regulators and policy makers throughout the process of reaching our renewable targets.  

The R&E team currently has approximately 25 staff who provide advice within government on the potential environmental impacts of marine energy on key receptors including birds, marine mammals, fish and fisheries, benthic habitats, and diadromous fish. Our specialist advisors also provide advice on other Scottish Government policy priorities, such as marine protected area management and the regulation of other non-renewable marine activities. 

You will be expected to be at sea on fieldwork for at least 45 days per annum, supporting research projects collecting data on tagged fish within the marine environment, preparing equipment, deploying and recovering equipment at sea and downloading data.  A key part of the role is to manage that data in a secure and objective way so that it is easily accessible and available for analysis.

This is a 2 year Fixed Term Appointment with no possibility of extension.

• Contribute to the maintenance, setup, deployment and recovery of acoustic monitoring equipment used in fish telemetry and marine mammal underwater noise research.
• Participate in seagoing fieldwork from the Marine Directorate’s research vessels Scotia and Alba na Mara, and from chartered vessels with an expected minimum of 45 seagoing days per annum.
• Manage, collate and store data from research projects into databases to enable efficient data sharing and subsequent analysis.
• Work with colleagues to assist in the development of safe and robust protocols and procedures for data collection and field equipment management.

Competencies:

Self-Awareness

Communications and Engagement

Improving Performance

Analysis and Use of Evidence

No specific qualifications are required for this post.

Essential Criteria:

1.  Demonstrable experience of the setup, operation and maintenance of scientific equipment, working to established protocols.

2.  Demonstrable experience of working on seagoing vessels.

3.  Demonstrable experience of working within health and safety procedures in relation to field or laboratory work. 

4.  An ability to work both independently and as part of a team to successfully deliver defined tasks effectively and on time.

Location: Marine Lab, 375 Victoria Road, Torry, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB

Scottish Government operates a hybrid working practice, working in both Scottish Government workplaces and from home. Hybrid working patterns are agreed locally to meet business requirements and the needs of colleagues. 

Interview and Assessment:  Dates to be confirmed

Scottish Government is preparing for the implementation of a new HR and Finance platform and, as a result, some job offers will be subject to an October 2024 start date at the earliest.  This will be confirmed as your application progresses.

Minimum time in post:

You will be expected to remain in post for the duration of the contract unless successful at gaining promotion to a higher Band or Grade.

SPONSORSHIP

Changes to legislation concerning Skilled Worker Visa Sponsorship were implemented on 4 April 2024.  If you think you may require Visa Sponsorship it is important that prior to applying you read the official Home Office guidance to confirm eligibility.

Any applicants that are not eligible for sponsorship will be withdrawn at either application stage or the point of offer, with any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

HOW TO APPLY & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

How to apply: 

To apply for this post, you will need to provide the information requested below via the online application process.

You must fully complete and submit an online application via the website before the closing date using evidence based examples to demonstrate your knowledge/skills (300 words). Remember, your answers should be clear, concise and reflect what actions you undertook. You may want to use the STAR(R) approach to respond to each criterion.

Additional Information:

Internal applicants must discuss their intention to apply with their line manager to help ensure early release.

External applicants will find further information in the  “Person Specification” below:

Person_Specification_Band_B

The post is a full-time role, but staff with different working patterns are invited to apply, and we will assess proposed working patterns against the business requirements for this post.

In the event that further posts are required, a reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for up to 12 months.

For information regarding this post please contact:

Matthew.newton@gov.scot

Scottish Government's ambition is to be a world leading, diverse employer where people can be themselves at work. We want to help you demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. If you require any adjustments to our recruitment process, please let us know via scottishgovernmentrecruitment@gov.scot

As part of any recruitment process, Scottish Government and associated public bodies collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants and applicants for public appointments.

Personal information you provide in the recruitment process will be made available to Scottish Government and our additional data processors.