Job Description
Purpose
We are seeking a marine environmental economist to join the 'CUPIDO: Calculating the strength of the plastic pump in counteracting the deep export of oceanic carbon' research programme, which has been funded through a UK Research Innovation Future Leader Fellowship to Dr Clara Manno. CUPIDO aims to identify the biological mechanisms that facilitate the export of plastic from the surface to the deeper layers of the ocean and to quantify the impact of this export on the ability of the ocean to uptake carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The postholder will work within the British Antarctic Survey Ecosystems team, which includes scientists involved in studies of zooplankton dynamics and their role in biogeochemical processes, and the impact of environmental stressors on the operation of the ecosystem. As a member of the BAS Ecosystems Team, you'll work alongside internationally recognised experts in a collaborative, supportive environment that values innovation, creativity, and scientific excellence. You'll have unrivalled access to high-quality datasets, mentorship, and field opportunities that will accelerate your research career.
The post holder will work on plastic pollution in Antarctica, in terms of how plastics move through the socio-ecological system, where interventions are most needed, and how policy performance can be improved. The post holder will develop an integrated modelling framework that maps the entire chain of the plastic pollution from its sources to its impacts. The successful candidate must be highly experienced in data analysis, impact and policy assessment, cost-benefit and cost-efficiency analyses. A special focus will be to investigate the potential influence of plastic local sources (generated by tourism, fisheries and science activities). In situ data collected by the CUPIDO team, together with additional existing datasets, will be available to parameterise the model outputs.
The successful candidate will be highly experienced in marine plastic pollution and/or the ocean environmental economy. A familiarity with the wider issues of Plastic pollution sources in Antarctica is also desirable.
Duties
You'll help us to deliver new insight on plastic pollution in Antarctica, in terms of how plastics move through the socio-ecological system, where interventions are most needed, and how policy performance can be improved. You will develop an integrated modelling framework that maps the entire chain of the plastic pollution from its sources to its impacts.
Skills, Qualifications, and Experience
Essential
The pay band minimum is the normal starting pay for those new to a role. In exceptional circumstances, when relevant skills and experience can be identified, a higher starting salary may be considered.
About Us
UKRI - UK Research and Innovation
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.
Supporting some of the world's most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.
More information can be found at www.ukri.org.
Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.
How we support EDI in the workforce
At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit 'How we support EDI in the workforce'.
Disability Confident Employer
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all applicants with a disability who opt into the disability confident scheme and meet the minimum criteria for the role. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
How to apply
Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the 'experience' section of the application.
UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion - a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.
The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.
About the Team
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) delivers and enables world-leading interdisciplinary research in the Polar Regions. Our skilled science and support staff based in Cambridge, Antarctica and the Arctic, work together to deliver research that uses the Polar Regions to advance our understanding of Earth as a sustainable planet. Through our extensive logistic capability and know how BAS facilitates access for the British and international science community to the UK polar research operation. Numerous national and international collaborations, combined with an excellent infrastructure help sustain a world leading position for the UK in Antarctic affairs. British Antarctic Survey is a component of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). NERC is part of UK Research and Innovation www.ukri.org
We employ experts from many different professions to carry out our Science as well as keep the keep the lights on, feed the research and support teams and keep everyone safe! If you are looking for an opportunity to work with amazing people in one of the most unique places in the world, then British Antarctic Survey could be for you. We aim to attract the best people for those jobs.
Purpose
We are seeking a marine environmental economist to join the 'CUPIDO: Calculating the strength of the plastic pump in counteracting the deep export of oceanic carbon' research programme, which has been funded through a UK Research Innovation Future Leader Fellowship to Dr Clara Manno. CUPIDO aims to identify the biological mechanisms that facilitate the export of plastic from the surface to the deeper layers of the ocean and to quantify the impact of this export on the ability of the ocean to uptake carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The postholder will work within the British Antarctic Survey Ecosystems team, which includes scientists involved in studies of zooplankton dynamics and their role in biogeochemical processes, and the impact of environmental stressors on the operation of the ecosystem. As a member of the BAS Ecosystems Team, you'll work alongside internationally recognised experts in a collaborative, supportive environment that values innovation, creativity, and scientific excellence. You'll have unrivalled access to high-quality datasets, mentorship, and field opportunities that will accelerate your research career.
The post holder will work on plastic pollution in Antarctica, in terms of how plastics move through the socio-ecological system, where interventions are most needed, and how policy performance can be improved. The post holder will develop an integrated modelling framework that maps the entire chain of the plastic pollution from its sources to its impacts. The successful candidate must be highly experienced in data analysis, impact and policy assessment, cost-benefit and cost-efficiency analyses. A special focus will be to investigate the potential influence of plastic local sources (generated by tourism, fisheries and science activities). In situ data collected by the CUPIDO team, together with additional existing datasets, will be available to parameterise the model outputs.
The successful candidate will be highly experienced in marine plastic pollution and/or the ocean environmental economy. A familiarity with the wider issues of Plastic pollution sources in Antarctica is also desirable.
Duties
You'll help us to deliver new insight on plastic pollution in Antarctica, in terms of how plastics move through the socio-ecological system, where interventions are most needed, and how policy performance can be improved. You will develop an integrated modelling framework that maps the entire chain of the plastic pollution from its sources to its impacts.
- Contribute to the preparation and planning of CUPIDO research activities, including supporting fieldwork planning in terms of data collection.
- Synthesise key datasets for model parameterisation.
- Develop and implement integrated modelling framework that maps the entire chain of the plastic pollution from its sources to its impacts.
- Prepare parameterisation datasets and model output for curation in appropriate data centres (e.g. Polar Data Centre, British Oceanographic Data Centre).
- Lead and publish high quality, timely and relevant peer-reviewed research related to the CUPIDO objectives.
- Form and maintain national and international relationships and collaborations for scientific research with the Antarctic research communities.
- Travel to national and international meetings to present research findings.
- Proactively pursue and contribute to future research grant opportunities.
Skills, Qualifications, and Experience
Essential
- PhD in Marine Environmental Economy (or similar).
- Experience in marine plastic/microplastic pollution and SOCIAL cost-benefit and cost- efficiency analyses.
- Evidence of time management skills.
- Self-motivated, with confidence to present complex pieces of work in an understandable way to a range of audiences (both oral and written).
- Ability to work independently, but also to keep seniors informed. Decide on the appropriate experiments to answer research questions.
- Must be able to work as part of a team and present the project to others.
- Good statistical analysis skills and ability to manage large datasets.
- Enthusiastic and passionate about the topic.
- A good publication record.
- Familiar with Southern Ocean/Antarctic plastic issue.
- Ability to interface with different data sources.
- Experience of managing projects.
- 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays and 2.5 privilege days
- Civil Service pension (with 26% or more employer contribution, depending on your band)
- 24 hours/365 days access to employee assistance programme (including support with physical, mental, social, health and financial issues)
- Flexible and family friendly working opportunities
- Cycle to work scheme
- Access to discounted shopping on a range of retail, leisure, and lifestyle categories and much more
The pay band minimum is the normal starting pay for those new to a role. In exceptional circumstances, when relevant skills and experience can be identified, a higher starting salary may be considered.
About Us
UKRI - UK Research and Innovation
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.
Supporting some of the world's most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.
More information can be found at www.ukri.org.
Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.
How we support EDI in the workforce
At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit 'How we support EDI in the workforce'.
Disability Confident Employer
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all applicants with a disability who opt into the disability confident scheme and meet the minimum criteria for the role. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
How to apply
Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the 'experience' section of the application.
UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion - a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.
The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.
About the Team
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) delivers and enables world-leading interdisciplinary research in the Polar Regions. Our skilled science and support staff based in Cambridge, Antarctica and the Arctic, work together to deliver research that uses the Polar Regions to advance our understanding of Earth as a sustainable planet. Through our extensive logistic capability and know how BAS facilitates access for the British and international science community to the UK polar research operation. Numerous national and international collaborations, combined with an excellent infrastructure help sustain a world leading position for the UK in Antarctic affairs. British Antarctic Survey is a component of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). NERC is part of UK Research and Innovation www.ukri.org
We employ experts from many different professions to carry out our Science as well as keep the keep the lights on, feed the research and support teams and keep everyone safe! If you are looking for an opportunity to work with amazing people in one of the most unique places in the world, then British Antarctic Survey could be for you. We aim to attract the best people for those jobs.