National Oceanography Centre, Southampton

Fixed term appointment (3 years)

Full time (37 hours per week)

£36,860

 

Who are we?

We are the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) – the UK’s centre of excellence for oceanographic sciences. We are a national research organisation, delivering integrated marine science and technology from the coast to the deep ocean.

We are made up of a dynamic and vibrant community whose focus is on improving the world in which we live. Our work is balanced by our strong sense of purpose, values and behaviours and an unwavering commitment to a ‘one NOC’ approach.

We have a rich history dating back to 1949, and our future has never looked more exciting as we aim to be the world’s most innovative oceanographic institution.

 

About the role

NOC is opening a position for a researcher in benthic ecology in the Seafloor Ecosystems subgroup (Ocean BioGeosciences Group). This role will be focussed on delivery of benthic community assessment for a large NERC project SMARTEX (Seabed Mining and Resilience to Experimental impact), which is being led by NOC and involves an excellent team around the UK including the Natural History Museum and five other marine research organisations.

The role will deliver high-quality research into benthic ecosystems through the analysis of biological data generated at sea primarily through photographs. The role includes the acquisition and analysis of biological image data, writing of manuscripts for publication, participating in seagoing science and communication of work.

Specific responsibilities will include:

  • Taking an active role in the NERC SMARTEX project, with responsibility for research coordination and delivery of some aspects of the megafaunal assessment work.
  • Preparation for and attendance on seagoing research in the Clarion Clipperton Zone
  • Extraction of biological data from seafloor images collected by ROV and AUV platforms
  • Assessment of long-term effects of deep-sea mining including data analysis in R
  • Writing of scientific publications as part of the research team at NOC
  • International and national travel to represent NOC
  • Being an active member of the research team at NOC and within SMARTEX, including collaboration with staff scientists and PhD students
  • Communicating with academic collaborators and other industry / policy stakeholders, including through written material and presentations

Experience in seagoing and the use of new technologies and marine robotic systems for deep-water sampling and surveying, in addition to good knowledge of marine community ecology, is a clear plus.

While the role is aligned with SMARTEX, there will be opportunities and encouragement to engage more widely with other projects at NOC and develop new research related to the interest and expertise of the successful candidate.

Roles at NOC offer the ability to focus on developing excellent research with the support of great teams and state-of-the-art infrastructure.

 

About you

We are looking for an enthusiastic, dynamic early-career scientist with a PhD in marine science (or related disciplines). We would like someone who will actively participate and dependably lead elements of the wide-variety of tasks needed to be an effective deep-sea scientist, from cruise preparation and participation to data analysis and communication of results. Experience in deep-sea biology and with seagoing science is preferable as is experience with marine imaging. We would like someone with strong numerical skills and the ability to use programming languages, such as R, for data analysis. A track record in scientific publishing, appropriate for your career stage, is important. This post offers the potential to carry out some exciting and important research, develop a close network of leading marine scientists in the UK and would be a good springboard to a successful career in marine sciences.

 

Why the NOC?

We offer a generous set of benefits including 28 days annual leave, plus 3.5 local closure days and 8 public bank holidays, and a contributory Group Personal Pension Plan.

We are committed to flexible working, trusting our staff to get the job done. And we offer an inclusive and supportive environment where our people can meet their full potential.

Southampton: The centre is well connected by public transport and has ample cycle parking in addition to free onsite car-parking. We support opportunities for further training and development.

Our commitment as an employer

The NOC is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. There is a guaranteed interview scheme for suitable candidates with a disability and we welcome applications from ethnic minorities currently under-represented. The NOC is an Investors in People organisation, and has signed up to the Athena SWAN charter principles to take action to address gender equality.

How to apply: 

Please click ‘Apply for this job’ and submit an up-to-date CV and cover letter. If you are unable to apply online, please contact the NOC recruitment team at careers@noc.ac.uk / 07590 805967.

Before submitting your application please ensure you have reviewed the attached job description and assessment criteria.

Closing date: 09/06/2022 Please note this vacancy may close earlier depending on the number of applicants.

Please note we are not accepting applications via recruitment agencies for this position.

 

Assessing applications

All applications to the NOC are reviewed by a real-life person, not a computer programme. Attached to our adverts you will find a ‘Candidate Assessment’ document which clearly sets out the criteria against which applications are assessed. Once assessed the strongest candidates will be invited to interview.

If you have been selected for interview we will be in touch to arrange a time and date. If you haven’t been selected for interview we will let you know, although we may not be able to give detailed feedback to every applicant.

Further information, can be found here.

via NOC
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