Spatial Data Scientist

Salary - £34,405 - £39,694
Hybrid working (50/50)
Wallingford based
Fixed Term (12 months, initially)
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we find the right candidate, so we encourage you to apply early.

Are you an enthusiastic environmental scientist with excellent spatial data skills and an interest in creating national data and digital tools to support nature recovery and sustainable land management? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to work with leading scientists and contribute to world-class research at UKCEH Wallingford.

Join our dynamic team to help turn cutting-edge environmental research into high quality data and practical digital tools to support decision making for nature-based finance, policy-makers and land.

You will work closely with our earth observation scientists to develop a variety of innovative data products from classified high resolution satellite imagery – including national maps targeting opportunities for Biodiversity Net Gain, and novel mapping of above-ground biomass and urban wildlife habitat and green space.  You’ll also contribute to national nature recovery efforts by mapping habitat restoration potential across Great Britain, using GIS and spatial datasets to guide local and strategic planning. Finally, you will  play an  important role in developing the Farm Health Check— an interactive tool providing farmers with accurate, impartial data on their natural capital and environmental risks.

Your work will involve the integration and analysis of spatial data, extracting summary metrics, and creating intuitive data visualisations to support on the ground  decision-making. You will be involved in stakeholder consultation and engagement to enable the co-design of our data products and tools.  .

You will also have opportunities to publish data papers in peer-reviewed journals and publish data products through our Environmental Data Information Centre. We offer extensive training to support your technical and professional growth within a research environment.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Apply advanced GIS tools to spatial datasets to derive key information and innovative metrics
• Create efficient, reproducible workflows to integrate and analyse complex spatial datasets
• Develop innovative ways to visualise data in ways that are intuitive for stakeholders
• Contribute to the development of decision support tools (Farm Health Check) and data products (Habitat Potential Maps)
• Work effectively with project teams that include internal and external collaborators
• Communicate research to a range of audiences, including project partners and stakeholders

For the role of Spatial Data Scientist, we’re looking for somebody who has:

• Advanced skills in GIS and geospatial data analysis
• High level of expertise in handling and analysing spatial data in R
• Ability to implement interpretable and reusable code to ensure the longevity, maintainability, and adaptability of code across projects
• Familiarity with collaborative tools like GitHub
• Creation of interactive spatial data visualisations (e.g., Leaflet)
• Experience in producing dynamic HTML/PDF reports using tools such as R Markdown or Quarto
• A methodical approach and attention to detail, ensuring the delivery of accurate and reliable information to stakeholders.
• Familiarity with UK-extent spatial datasets with a range of sources, formats and resolutions  
• Good knowledge of key issues in UK sustainable land use, agriculture and nature conservation
• A working knowledge of UK habitat classification systems (e.g. Priority Habitats, UKHAB, NVC etc)
• Demonstrate a commitment to promote and adhere to UKCEH values of Excellence, Integrity and Teamwork.

Qualifications and experience:

• A postgraduate qualification and/or equivalent experience in a relevant field (e.g. application of geospatial data analysis to environmental research challenges)
• Experience of handling a wide range of spatial data types and formats in GIS environments
• Experience of creating stakeholder-facing visualisations and insights from environmental data

You’ll be joining a leading independent, not-for-profit research institute that’s committed to recruiting talented people like you, progressing your career and giving you the support you need to thrive at UKCEH.

Our science makes a real difference, enabling people and the environment to prosper, and enriching society. We are the custodians of a wealth of environmental data, collected by UKCEH and its predecessors over the course of more than 60 years.

Working for UKCEH is rewarding

We appreciate the continuous dedication and contributions of our staff, which is why we provide a comprehensive benefits package that includes financial incentives and wellbeing-oriented perks, such as:

• 27 days annual leave (rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service) plus 3 days for Christmas closure  
• 10% employer pension contribution 
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (role dependant)
• Peer reward and recognition scheme
• Dental insurance, gym/fitness discounts, retail discount portal
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave  
• 24-hour, 365-day support with physical, mental, social, health or financial issues and much more... 

Apply today!

At UKCEH, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone—regardless of background, identity, ability, or circumstance—has the opportunity to thrive. As a Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates and those with disabilities. We are happy to provide any adjustments or support you may need throughout the application process—please don’t hesitate to reach out. So, if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we’d love to hear from you anyway. You may be just the right fit for this role or another within our wider team.

We welcome applications from international candidates; however, at present, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role.