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Applied Scientist - Blue Carbon
National Oceanography Centre
Southampton, UK
Posted on Jan 31, 2025
Applied Scientist - Blue Carbon
National Oceanography Centre, Southampton
Permanent
Full time (37 hours per week)
£42,062
Who are we?
We are the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) - the UK’s leading institution for integrated coastal and deep ocean research. Through our ground-breaking research, collaboration, and game-changing innovation we work to gain a deeper understanding of our ocean, helping every living thing on our planet flourish.
We are made up of a dynamic and vibrant community focused on solving challenging long-term marine science problems, underpinning international and UK public policy, business and societal outcomes.
The ocean has the potential to provide the solutions to so many of the social, economic and environmental challenges we face worldwide. To truly harness the value of the ocean, we put ocean research, science and discovery at the heart of our culture.
Join us in shaping the future of oceanographic research and contribute your unique perspective to our organisation.
About the role
We are seeking a specialist with advanced knowledge and expertise in Blue Carbon to develop and deliver commercial products and services for government, industry, and NGO clients. This position is based within the Applied Sciences Team at NOC Innovations, a commercial subsidiary of the National Oceanography Centre (NOC). The team leverages the NOC’s scientific and technological capabilities to diversify income streams and provide research-driven solutions that align with the NOC’s broader mission and strategic goals.
Blue Carbon is rapidly gaining attention as a key climate change mitigation strategy, with an emphasis on how marine and coastal ecosystems can serve as carbon sinks while also delivering benefits such as biodiversity gains and coastal defence. In this role, you will focus on quantifying carbon sequestration in seabed and coastal habitats, both vegetated and non-vegetated, through assessing extent and emissions data, and carrying out modelling and economic analyses to evaluate the impact of specific management interventions.
As part of these responsibilities, you will oversee the full workflow involved in designing commercial Blue Carbon products and services. This includes identifying new business opportunities, preparing proposals and speculative tenders, and responding to direct client requests. You will work closely with clients to understand their objectives, design and conduct field campaigns using both destructive and non-destructive sampling methods, and analyse resulting data to produce evidence-based insights. Findings will be delivered in detailed reports and presentations, with opportunities to present at industry or scientific conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals. Close coordination between commercial and research-focused Blue Carbon initiatives is central to this role, which also offers scope to contribute to fundamental research projects and supervise postgraduate students.
About you
You will have a deep understanding of marine and coastal ecosystem dynamics, underpinned by strong analytical skills and hands-on experience in field sampling and data interpretation. Familiarity with methods for estimating carbon stocks and sedimentation rates is essential, along with a proven ability to assess environmental management strategies. Equally important is your capacity to apply this scientific knowledge in a commercial context, translating insights into practical solutions that meet client needs.
As an effective communicator, you will be adept at engaging with stakeholders from a range of sectors, including government bodies, industry partners, and NGOs. You should be able to manage multiple projects simultaneously, balancing timelines and resources while maintaining high-quality outputs. A track record of producing clear, concise reports and delivering impactful presentations is vital, as is the willingness to foster collaboration across different teams and specialisms. Ideally, you will hold a postgraduate qualification in a relevant field or possess equivalent professional experience, and you will demonstrate the versatility and drive needed to support the continued growth of our Blue Carbon portfolio. If you thrive in an environment where you can combine scientific rigor with commercial innovation and are motivated to help shape the future of climate change mitigation efforts, we encourage you to join our dynamic team.
Why NOC?
We offer a generous set of benefits, including:
- 30 days contractual annual leave, plus 3.5 extra closure days and bank holidays
- a 10% employer contribution pension scheme
- access to our Employee Assistance Programme, offering free and anonymous support on mental, physical, emotional, health and financial issues
- access to a flexible benefits portal offering online discounts, cashback and eGift cards
- a Cycle2Work scheme allowing employees to acquire bikes and accessories
- a great working environment with a number of social events, including summer and Christmas celebrations
- we are proud to be a Living Wage Employer
Location
This position will be based in Southampton. The centre is well connected by public transport and has ample cycle parking in addition to free onsite car-parking with over 40 EV charging points.
We can support visa applications where required. We may be able to offer financial support for applicants who will need to relocate for this position.
Submitting an application
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 / 07955 851648.
Before submitting your application please ensure you have reviewed the attached job description and person specification.
We are committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We actively encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position, as we strive to create a supportive and equitable environment where all voices are valued and heard.
Those seeking employment at NOC are considered solely on their qualifications, skills and experience, without regard to gender, gender identity, age, race, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, relationship status, family status (including pregnancy / maternity leave) or any other protected characteristic.
There is a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the position and declare a disability. NOC is an Investors in People organisation.
Date advert posted: 31 January 2025.
Closing date: 28 February 2025. This vacancy may close earlier depending on the number of applicants.
Please note we are not accepting applications via recruitment agencies for this position.