Data Scientist

Based at Wallingford, Oxfordshire

We require a Data Scientist to join an existing team working to improve the management and use of our wide range of environmental data.  You will be involved in the growing area of environmental informatics and will contribute to the development of the UK’s leading terrestrial and freshwater science data centre, CEH’s Environmental Information Data Centre (EIDC):  one of the NERC Environmental Data Centre network.

As a member of a skilled and dedicated team, you will work closely with scientists to address the challenges of managing data in our many science projects.  The team is supported by specialist data managers and application developers from the EIDC.  The role is pivotal in helping CEH to find solutions to the complex environmental questions facing society today, enabling access to, and integration and analysis of a variety of multi-disciplinary data.

You will be expected to provide data management support and guidance both to CEH scientists and to others working on NERC-funded projects in the terrestrial and freshwater sciences sector, initially the Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) and/or the Macronutrient Cycles Programmes.

Main activities and duties of the role are to:

• Establish close working relationships with data-generating scientists
• Promote, support development of, and review Data Management Plans for science projects
• Identify data of long-term value generated by projects and agree arrangements for transfer into the EIDC
• Support and provide guidance on the  creation and maintenance of discovery- and context-level  metadata
• Contribute to the development of EIDC procedures and tools
• Provide training and knowledge transfer to scientists and informatics staff  in data management  and data dissemination methods
• Ensure science information and data are secure and properly documented when staff leave

You will ideally possess either a PhD in an environmental science or a master’s degree followed by at least 2 years’ relevant experience, or a good first degree followed by at least 4 years’ relevant experience.  Additionally you should possess the following generic skills or experience:

• Experience and understanding of data processing and analysis within science projects
• Awareness of wider scientific information management issues, such as metadata catalogues, data standards, and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR)
• Ability to work both independently and within a team
• Ability to communicate effectively the use of new technologies and methods to colleagues at all levels
• Ability to deal with rapidly changing technologies

We are particularly looking for skills in one or more of the following specialist areas:

• Spatial data management using GIS (e.g. ArcGIS);
• Time-series data management using an RDBMS (e.g. ORACLE, SQLServer, MySQL)
• Large dataset handling (e.g. climate model output, high-frequency data flows, data mining)
• Data dissemination methods (e.g. web-services development, RSS feeds)
• Controlled vocabularies, thesauri and ontologies, for use in linking data
• Workflow analysis and data transformation tools (e.g. FME, MatLab)

Familiarity with hydrological, climatological or ecological data collection and analysis would be advantageous for either position.  

Salary

The salary for this post is £26,180 progressing to £29,410 per annum. In addition NERC offer 30 days’ annual leave and 10½ days’ public and privilege holiday per annum.

Closing date for applications: 10 October 2012

Interview date: 19 November 2012

Only online applications will be accepted. Applications are handled by the RCUK Shared Services Centre; to apply please visit their job board at http://www.topcareer.jobs/ and complete an online application form. Applicants who would like to receive this advert in an alternative format (e.g. large print, Braille, audio or hard copy), or who are unable to apply online should contact the RCUK Shared Services Centre by telephone on 01793 867003.

Please quote reference: IRC66267