The role
This placement opportunity offers a unique chance to apply your Earth Observation skills to real-world environmental challenges while gaining valuable experience within Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
This placement opportunity is open to individuals who have recently graduated, within the last 18 months, with a qualification in a relevant discipline such as ecology, environmental management, environmental science, geography or agricultural science. Your course must have involved a substantial proportion of time working on Earth Observation relevant to the terrestrial environment.
The placement will support NRW in developing our use of Earth Observation and Remote Sensing to enhance our monitoring capability for terrestrial protected sites. Under the direction of your line manager and host team, you will work with NRW staff and partners to identify suitable opportunities for the use of Earth Observation to support NRW monitoring.
You will design and implement at least one trial for monitoring a specific aspect of condition for a selected protected site feature, or a specific component of water quality, including an element of fieldwork and ground-truthing.
You will work collaboratively with NRW staff and/or partner organisations. Where a trial proves successful, you will develop a roadmap outlining how the method could be implemented within NRW's routine monitoring programmes.
You will produce technical guidance for staff and partners involved in both the trials and implementation. You will present the project proposal, developments and findings to relevant subject matter experts within NRW.
This is an excellent opportunity to develop your knowledge and practical experience while helping to shape how Earth Observation is used to support environmental monitoring in Wales.
This post is fixed term until 31/03/2027 with the possibility of extension or permanency.
As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to an NRW office within the place base / location above and a suitable hybrid working pattern will be agreed on appointment. Any regular face to face meetings or training will be planned in advance.
To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Jenny Hoyle at
[email protected]
Interviews will take place through Microsoft Teams.
About Us
You will work closely with and be mentored by Dylan Lloyd, Monitoring Strategy and Planning Team Leader, and Jenny Hoyle, Monitoring Analysis Team Leader, alongside their Specialist Advisors. This will provide an opportunity to work with experienced professionals who support monitoring, planning and analysis activities across Natural Resources Wales.
What You Will Do
Support the development and testing of Earth Observation and Remote Sensing methods to enhance NRW's monitoring capability for terrestrial protected sites and improve the efficiency of monitoring activities.
Gather, analyse and communicate technical information and data to support monitoring projects, service improvements and evidence-based decision making.
Contribute to the design and delivery of monitoring trials, including field verification and ground-truthing activities, working collaboratively with NRW staff and partner organisations.
Support the documentation of trial methods, findings, recommendations and good practice to inform future monitoring approaches and implementation activities.
Apply academic knowledge and professional training in practical environmental monitoring, geospatial analysis and data interpretation activities
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, partners and stakeholders, communicating project progress and outcomes clearly and professionally.
Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post
Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy , together with an understanding of how it operates within the responsibilities of the post
Be committed to your own development through the effective use of your personal development plan (known as Sgwrs).
Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.
Your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method.
A graduate qualification in a relevant discipline, including a substantial component of earth observation relevant to the terrestrial environment, such as ecology, environmental management, environmental science, geography, or agricultural science.
Good written and verbal skills and the ability to communicate confidently, with excellent customer service skills.
Good inter-personal skills with the ability to work under pressure using your own initiative in order to meet tight deadlines.
Strong ICT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
Experience of using GIS, remote sensing or geospatial software packages acquired through academic study or project work.
An awareness of programming languages and their application to environmental data analysis
An understanding of geospatial analysis, Earth Observation data and environmental data interpretation.
Data sets you will be required to work with include open satellite data (e.g Copernicus Programme), high resolution commercial satellite data, aerial photography, Lidar and drone imagery.
Welsh Language level requirements
Essential: Level A1 - Entry level
Welsh language levels
Please note if you do not meet the A1 requirement i.e., ability to understand basic phrases and ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly, then NRW offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal requirements during the course of your employment with us.
Additional Information
Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. Appointments are normally made within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.
Natural Resources Wales is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position. Although we hold a Skilled Worker visa sponsorship licence, it applies only to specific roles that meet both the eligibility criteria and salary requirements set out by the UK Government under the Skilled Worker visa route.
Benefits
This role will offer a range of benefits, including:
Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 28.97% (successful internal staff will remain in their current pension scheme)
28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
commitment to professional development
health and wellbeing benefits and support
weekly wellbeing hour to use as you choose
See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.
Please keep reading
We're passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
We are committed to equal opportunities, and we guarantee interviews for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
We want to attract and retain talented and highly skilled staff, so we make sure that our pay scales remain competitive. We advertise the full pay scale on our job descriptions. Appointed candidates start at the first point of the pay scale and annual increments are paid each year.
We want our staff to grow professionally and personally. From leadership development to access to further and higher education courses, our staff have opportunities to expand their knowledge on variety of topics, stay current in their field and continue to learn as their career progresses.
We are a Bilingual organisation which complies with the Welsh Language Standards. Welsh language skills are considered an asset to NRW, and we encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills.
You are welcome to apply for any vacancy in Welsh or English, and any application submitted will be treated equally. Applications are welcome from individuals who want to work full-time, part-time, or job share.
Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy before the advertised closing date if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the closing date to apply.