About the job

Summary

Our Mission

At BEIS, we are leading the UK’s recovery from coronavirus and are building a stronger, greener country. Our varied work makes a real difference to people across the UK and internationally. This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of the BEIS team and our exciting mission!

We lead on the UK’s commitments to tackle climate change and drive green economic growth. We support businesses to create jobs and increase opportunity in regions across the UK. We also encourage investment and innovation to make the UK a science superpower producing research that will improve lives.

Our Inclusive Environment

We are building an inclusive culture to make BEIS a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. We will fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process.

Job description

BEIS’s Climate Science Team is looking for a scientist with a good understanding of Greenhouse Gas emissions and removals from land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF). The role also entails knowledge of international conventions to report those emissions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, including the International Panel on Climate Change guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. This role will support UK efforts to reach net zero.

The successful candidate will work with other scientists, as well as statisticians and a Contract Manager, to provide scientific leadership and analysis on the contribution that UK land-use, now and in the future, plays in delivering against UK Carbon Budgets and our net-zero target. This a key role, which supports the annual compilation of the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory. You will specify, commission and manage research contracts to improve the accuracy and completeness of LULUCF net emission estimates, to strengthen the UK inventory as we move towards net-zero.

BEIS is a modern and diverse workplace, committed to promoting and ensuring equality and valuing diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status. We are an equal opportunity employer, welcoming applications from scientists from any background, and we value diversity. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process. Please see the 'Reasonable Adjustment' section below for further details.

We offer excellent employee benefits, including in this role specialist pay to reflect your scientific skills and expertise. We champion work-life balance, which makes our team an excellent one to work in! This role is an excellent opportunity to have an impact on UK and international climate policy. We look forward to hearing from you!

Responsibilities

The postholder will be responsible for:

• Ensuring the contractors who deliver UK estimates of emissions and removals from UK land deliver an inventory product that meets the highest possible standards of quality, accuracy and completeness.

• Working with experts in the UK and beyond to develop improved methods for estimating UK emissions from land, and work with contractors to implement these improved methods within the inventory compilation process.

• Coordinating, and Quality Assuring, the production of projections of UK GHG emissions and removals from land-use.

• Providing technical advice to policy colleagues across government on LULUCF reporting/accounting, developing relevant skills and understanding of the policy context.

• Providing scientific advice on LULUCF and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation to the BEIS International Climate and Energy directorate.

• Contributing to the UK’s work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and other major international reports.

Skills & Experience

We would love to hear from you if you have a degree in an environmental science or other relevant science subject, and a post-graduate degree in land-science and / or relevant work experience in land science.

You will have good grasp of the foundations of climate science and strong scientific knowledge of the sources and drivers of emissions and removals of greenhouse gases associated with land-use activity, including soil carbon stock changes and forestry.

Familiarity with domestic and international reporting of emissions is desirable but can be developed within the role.

You will also have demonstrable experience of presenting technical information to non-specialists in both oral and written form, will manage your time efficiently and will be able to work flexibly and independently on various pieces of work.

Technical Skills(Interview only)

Technical and Commercial Scientific Leadership

Will be able to provide evidence of, while working in a scientific setting, experience of:

• Scoping, planning and managing multifaceted projects.

• Implementing solutions with due regard to wider environment and broader context.

• Exercising responsibility for self and others.

• Demonstrating effective leadership.

• Taking responsibility for continuous performance improvement.

Applying Scientific Knowledge

Will be able to provide evidence of, while working in a scientific setting, experience of:

• A commitment to professional development by continuing to advance knowledge, understanding and competence.

• Use of specialist knowledge and broader understanding.

• Exercising judgement in the absence of complete information.

• Critical evaluation and generation of original solutions.

Qualifications

*** THIS IS A REQUIREMENT FOR THE POST*** A degree in an environmental science or other relevant science subject.