Senior Social Scientist - 2026039

Job summary

Post background:

This role sits within the Chief Scientist Directorate (CSD) overseen by JNCC’s Chief Scientist. The CSD brings together cross-cutting science disciplines (e.g. social science, economics, quality assessment, external knowledge engagement) and themes (e.g. climate change, One Health). It is the professional home for JNCC’s scientists and analysts.

JNCC’s Interdisciplinary and Evaluation Team is seeking a Senior Social Scientist to support its portfolio of interdisciplinary evidence, advice and implementation activities.

This role will strengthen the social and interdisciplinary evidence base underpinning biodiversity conservation, nature recovery and environmental policy. You will champion approaches and analysis that connects nature recovery with people’s values, behaviours, livelihoods, health and wellbeing; helping ensure JNCC’s work contributes to equitable, inclusive and socially informed solutions that benefit nature and society.

You will support JNCC's strategic project development and advice on the integration of social science. Working across teams, you will embed robust social science approaches into research, implementation, evaluation and impact, ensuring our work reflects the social dimensions of biodiversity conservation and recovery. This includes project support, advice on methods and analysis, supporting implementation of a Research Ethics Committee and good practice stakeholder engagement and participation.

You will work closely with conservation biologists, data scientists, geospatial analysts, environmental modellers, and policy specialists, as well as external partners and stakeholders. Strong communication and collaboration skills are essential. There may be occasional international travel opportunities.

There may be opportunities to develop and deliver high impact interdisciplinary projects, building collaborations across disciplines and with partners. You will identify opportunities where social science can strengthen evidence, inform policy, improve stakeholder engagement and support effective outcomes.

Recent & planned projects include:

• Supporting implementation of JNCC’s (internal) Interdisciplinary Strategy through: building capacity for social science and interdisciplinary working through training, networks and a Community of Practice; embedding social science and interdisciplinary approaches within organisational processes (e.g. evidence quality assurance, research ethics); providing advice across programmes; and delivering priority projects integrating social and natural science evidence.
• Technical advice on Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and related initiatives intersecting socio-economic dimensions. Recent examples include the IPBES Transformative Change, Nexus and Business and Biodiversity Assessments, and work on biodiversity, health and One Health, helping integrate findings into policy and practice.
• Leading socio-economic research, analysis and engagement to support evidence-based conservation policy and decision-making. Examples include integrating social and environmental indicators, supporting sustainable livelihood initiatives, the Overseas Territories (OT) Biodiversity Strategy and the UK’s Blue Belt Programme.

Job description

Post Duties:

Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, responsibilities of this role will include:

• Supporting implementation of JNCC’s Interdisciplinary Strategy, including JNCC’s Social Science Community of Practice and Research Ethics Committee, and contributing to building social science and interdisciplinary capability across the organisation through training, guidance, knowledge sharing and networks.

• Providing advice to, and working directly with, teams across JNCC to integrate robust social science approaches, methods, analysis, evidence and evaluation into key work programmes; advising on research design, stakeholder engagement, participation and co-production approaches where relevant; and supporting the application of research ethics principles and best practice.

• Identifying, building on and developing new areas for social science integration across JNCC’s terrestrial and marine work programmes, including areas such as land-use change, consumption, pollution, health and climate change; liaising with other teams to identify and make best use of staff resources across the organisation.

• Cultivating collaborative partnerships with UK policymakers, UKOT and ODA-eligible governments and other relevant stakeholders, identifying opportunities to maintain and expand our work in this area, including project development and future funding opportunities.

• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of policy and evidence developments related to biodiversity, climate change, health and sustainable development across the UK, UKOTs and relevant ODA-eligible countries.

• Undertaking staff management responsibilities including recruitment, as required.

• Supporting the wider work of the team as appropriate, including providing senior technical input into projects as required.

Person specification

Please demonstrate your Technical skills in STARR format where applicable.

• Situation: Set the stage.
• Task: Explain where you fit in.
• Action: Describe each step.
• Results: Impress with your achievements.
• Reflection: what have you learned

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant discipline, with formal training and/or substantial experience in one or more social science disciplines (e.g. environmental social science, sociology, behavioural science or human geography).
• Demonstrable knowledge and application of social science theories, methods and analytical approaches, including the ability to integrate social and natural science evidence to inform interdisciplinary research, policy and practice.
• Experience of providing strategic social science advice and specialist expertise to inform research, evidence programmes, policy development and/or organisational priorities.
• Experience of applying social science methods and approaches within environmental research or evidence programmes, including designing, delivering, evaluating and/or quality-assuring social science research, to improve relevance, quality and impact.
• Experience building effective collaborations and influencing colleagues, stakeholders and partners across organisational and disciplinary boundaries to achieve shared outcomes.
• Experience developing, managing and delivering interdisciplinary environmental projects involving multiple partners, disciplines or stakeholders.
• Experience synthesising, interpreting and communicating scientific, technical and social science evidence to a range of audiences, including non-technical audiences, in clear, engaging and accessible ways.
• Understanding of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research approaches and the role of social science in addressing complex environmental challenges and supporting transformative change (Desirable).

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,525, Joint Nature Conservation Committee contributes £12,029 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.