Marine Ecologist (Marine Spatial Planning)

Marine Ecologist (Marine Spatial Planning)

This is a responsible and strategic position that will co-ordinate the two year Marine Spatial Planning Project funded by Darwin Initiative (Darwin Plus). The project will, through review, analyses and consultation, provide this framework, enabling the Falkland Islands to start to plan and manage the sustainable development and conservation of their marine environment.

Main Accountabilities: There will be two closely linked approaches to delivering this work:

1) Development of GIS baseline maps of the distributions of coastal, inshore and offshore habitats, together with their biota and resources, including areas/sites of current and prospective hydrocarbon extraction and exploration.

2) A series of workshops and stakeholder meetings, initially to help create and populate the GIS data and map layers, subsequently to review and discuss the potential approaches to MSP in the FI and the application of these data.

This element will include a review of relevant regional and international best practice, including, inter alia,  the bio-regionalisation approach used by CCAMLR to delineate a network of MPAs in Antarctica, the Patagonian Forum (http://www.patagoniansea.org/) regional GIS with data layers for key biota (species and habitats), existing protected/specially managed areas and resource use/extraction (mainly fishing effort), the BirdLife International global atlas of marine Important Bird Areas (http://www.birdlife.org/seabirds/seabird-marine-important-bird-areas.html), and the Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) [http://www.cbd.int/marine/]).

These two approaches will be combined, using ecosystem-based approaches, to provide advice on appropriate policies, practices and frameworks for marine spatial planning in the coastal, inshore and offshore waters of the Falkland Islands. This will include specific advice on the establishment of potential provisions for areas of environmental, ecological and biological sensitivity.

The position will be based in the South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute’s (SAERI) head office in Stanley. The Marine Ecologist (Marine Spatial Planning) Project Officer will report to the Director. Project Partners include Falklands Conservation, BirdLife International, British Antarctic Survey, Falkland Islands Government Fisheries Department and the Shallow Marine Surveys Group. The project is also supported by other important partners who work in the Falkland Islands.

SAERI’s objective is to be a world class academic institute, based in the Falkland Islands, operating in the South Atlantic from the equator down to the ice in Antarctica. It aims to conduct world class research, teach students, and build capacity within and between the UK South Atlantic Overseas Territories (UK OTs). The institute’s remit includes the natural and physical sciences. Its mission is to advance environmental understanding in the South Atlantic through research excellence and innovative scientific leadership (www.south-atlantic-research.org).

The post is for a period of two years.

Essential:

•          Qualified with a Postgraduate Degree in Marine Ecology or related subject

Desirable:

•          PhD in Marine Ecology or equivalent

•          Postgraduate qualification in GIS/geospatial statistics

•          Postgraduate qualification in marine environmental management

The package:

•          Basic salary starts from £33,003 per annum depending on qualifications and experience

•          Airfares for the post holder at the beginning and end of contract, as well as mid-contract return flights

•          Favourable income tax rates

For more information, a detailed job description and application form, please contact the Recruitment Officer, Falkland House, 14 Broadway, Westminster, London SW1H OBH Email: recruitment@falklands.gov.fk Tel: 020 7222 2542 or Fax: 020 7222 2375. Contact Dr Paul Brickle (pbrickle@env.institute.ac.fk) for job specific detail.

Application forms should be returned to Falkland House by 26/03/2014.