Senior Social Scientist

Post Title: Senior Social Scientist
Team: Interdisciplinary & Evaluation Team
Ref No: 202326
Grade: S (SEO)
Type of appointment: 2 year Fixed-term
Location: Peterborough, Aberdeen, or Cardiff
Salary: £41,525

This post will have a base in either Peterborough, Aberdeen, or Cardiff.

JNCC has adopted a hybrid working approach, allowing colleagues to benefit from time in the office, with the flexibility also to work from home. Employees are expected to work from one of our office bases for a few days a month as a minimum with attendance expected at regular face to face team meetings. Arrangements will vary by team and the exact balance will depend on the nature of your role. We can provide more details at the interview and offer stages.

Who are JNCC?

Established in 1991, we’re the UK’s statutory advisor on issues affecting the natural environment across the UK and internationally. Our primary role is advising all four Governments of the UK. We also work with private sector organisations to support decision making on the sustainable use of marine waters and natural resources around the UK. JNCC is led by the Joint Committee, which brings together members from the nature conservation bodies for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and independent members appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under an independent Chair. Support is provided to the Committee by approx. 300 people who bring together scientific and technical expertise, extensive knowledge of policy at global, European and national levels, and skills in working with other organisations. Staff are based in two main offices in Peterborough and Aberdeen.

Why JNCC?

We’re small enough (c.300 staff) that your voice is heard by everyone including the CEO, but big enough that we have all the skills, resources and people you’ll need to get the job done. All our staff are passionate about conservation and making a difference to the world we live in. We have a very flexible, inclusive and welcoming organisational culture. Our Executive Management provides employees with the freedom and tools you will need, and our friendly team will assist you in your role.

JNCC is committed to maintaining employee health and wellbeing, whether it is physically, emotionally, financially or socially, and offers a range of benefits to support employees in this. Such benefits include the option to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme, professional and personal development opportunities as well as an exciting job in a unique environment.

Hours of work: Full-time

Normal minimum hours of attendance for the post are 36 hours per week over a 5-day period, Monday to Friday. Flexi time is available. This role may also be suitable for job share.

Annual Leave: The annual leave allowance is 25 days per year, rising to 30 days per year after 5 years’ service. There are also 12 days public and privilege leave. Part-time staff will receive this on a pro rata basis.

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 strategic project development and advice on the integration of social science across JNCC. 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 opportunities for international travel.

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.

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.

Technical:

To be a successful candidate you will be/have:

• 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 (Responsibilities):

To be a successful candidate you will have:

• 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).

Behaviours:

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

Please see the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade.

In the event that we receive a large volume of applications we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on the Technical criteria and Lead Behaviour of Seeing the Big Picture

Artificial Intelligence Guidance

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism is identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own), applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Artificial intelligence and Recruitment /Civil Service Careers

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

JNCC do not provide sponsorship.

Closing date and interview date

The closing date for this post is 23:55 on Wednesday, 12 August 2026.

The anticipated interview date is week commencing Monday, 07 September 2026.