Senior Scientist - Carbon Expert

Reference number  250720

Salary £43,311 - £46,949

Job grade: Senior Executive Officer/Pay Band 3

Contract type: Permanent

Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time

Closing Date: Tuesday 6th December 2022

Location: Alice Holt Research Station, GU10 4LH or Northern Research Station, EH25 9SY or Forestry Commission Office BS16 1EJ, with blended working available.

Job description

Forest Research seeks to appoint a Senior Scientist with expertise in forest carbon balances and the modelling of forest carbon projections, to develop understanding of how afforestation and forest management can influence greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon sequestration, and to improve UK forestry projections. The post holder will lead project tasks commissioned under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between FR and the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), to better understand the climate change mitigation potential of UK forests, and to improve the way in which greenhouse gas emissions from (and GHG removals by) UK forests are estimated. The successful candidate will provide high-quality research and policy support, including leading on the development of case studies of global forestry modelling, and collaborating with international experts.

The post holder will be a member of the Mensuration, Growth and Yield Science Group, within the Centre for Forest Management. The Centre uses applied interdisciplinary research to underpin the sustainable management of Britain’s trees, woods and forests. The work of the Science Group focuses on five main areas: tree and timber measurement; forest growth modelling; forest carbon balance modelling; evaluation of wood supply chains; development of practical decision support tools. The research underpins scientific understanding of the contribution of forests to sustainable and secure wood supply, climate change mitigation and reaching NetZero targets.

Person specification

The senior scientist will be an expert on forest carbon balances and the modelling of forest carbon projections, and will lead on the specification and documentation of methods that could improve UK forest projections modelling – including representation of afforestation and restocking scenarios and drivers of projections. The successful candidate will lead the delivery of project work streams, including the development of case studies of global forestry modelling, which will advise policy through informing understanding of the sustainability of biomass production in different regions. Further case studies will perform sensitivity analysis of different models and parameters on carbon accounting in different biogeographic regions and explore the impact on global model outputs.

The successful applicant will lead the production of written reports to policy leads, research funders and peer-reviewed publications, and engage with policy and practitioner audiences at all levels. The senior scientist will also support existing staff deliver the forestry component of the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory. The senior scientist will lead other projects in the Science Group as necessary, collaborating with external UK and international academic partners.

Essential Criteria

• Expert knowledge of forest carbon balances, projections modelling and forest carbon accounting
• A postgraduate degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent experience
• A track record of high-quality written reports, including peer-reviewed publications or reports to policy
• Proven history of leading bid development
• Experience presenting to audiences at all levels
• Line management experience and commitment to excellent leadership

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of forestry practices and the forestry supply chain
• Experience of carbon and GHG life cycle assessment
• Experience presenting at international conferences