NCEA Officer Protocols and Data Capture

The England Ecosystem Survey (EES) is Natural England’s largest ever field survey project – an ambitious and high-profile initiative to collect ecosystem data from a wide range of habitats across England. It is a cornerstone project within the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment programme; led by Defra, and part of the government’s major projects portfolio.

The EES project is using professional survey as a tool to provide high quality data to assess the state and condition of biodiversity, ecosystems, and natural capital assets within England’s habitats and landscapes. It will address existing data gaps, including soils.

This varied and often fast paced role will provide project support to the wider EES project team by assisting colleagues with logistics and survey equipment, procurement, historic environment consultation and Vegetation and Landscape and Soils survey design and implementation. The postholder will need to be flexible to respond to the changing needs of the work within the team.

The role will involve some travel at times throughout the year with potential overnight stays.

• Provide professional operational advice to surveyors, offering clear and timely guidance to support effective and consistent field delivery, securing good quality data through accurate implementation of protocols.
• Undertake ongoing triage of surveyor feedback to identify issues that need immediate attention in-season whilst informing areas of improvement in future guidance and training materials.
• Support Quality Assurance including resurveys.
• Support the science assurance and publication of vegetation and landscape survey field manual.
• Support the maintenance, distribution and management of data collection technical equipment, iPads and Geodes, and provide technical support as well as training and guidance.

The successful candidate will be required to show flexibility in managing and adapting to other work should team priorities or resources change.

• Extensive field survey experience and sound knowledge of UK habitats and species (essential)
• Proven plant identification skills, preferably FISC 4 or the equivalent (essential)
• A degree in Ecology and/or conservation or equivalent qualification and relevant experience (essential)
• Experience in the use, management and development of mobile field survey technology and data collection applications (essential)
• Experience in science assurance and publication (desirable)

• Be ambitious, identify and adopt ways to make improvements in your team and Natural England and inspire others to act. (Practitioner)
• Progress your personal development and take responsibility for keeping your knowledge and expertise current. (Practitioner)

• Handle data responsibly, understand your role in good governance, and comply with delegations, policies and procedures. (Practitioner)
• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines. (Practitioner)

• Listen to and understand our diverse partners and customers so that you achieve the best outcomes for them and Natural England. (Practitioner)
• Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims. (Practitioner)