Behavioural Scientist x 2

129402

£35,167 - £38,081

Appointments to Forest Research are made at the entry level of the salary quoted above except in exceptional circumstances where a candidates’ experience and skills may justify a higher starting salary.

Fixed Term

2 x 3 Year fixed term appointments

FR - Ecosystems, Society and Biosecurity

Science

Flexible working, Full-time

2

Farnham, Bristol, Roslin

As part of the Forestry Commission, Forest Research (FR) is one of the world’s leading institutes in research focused on woodlands and forestry and has a strong international reputation for excellent applied and interdisciplinary research. Work is undertaken for the Forestry Commission, a number of other government departments and a wide range of other customers and clients.

The postholders will join the Social and Economic Research Group, within the Centre for Ecosystems, Society and Biosecurity (CESB). The Centre leads FR’s research into biosecurity threats, ecosystem robustness and resilience, land use and ecosystem services, and the way in which society uses and values trees. Programmes within the Centre focus strongly on interdisciplinary research, using the mix of disciplines within FR to generate evidence about many of the complex social and environmental problems facing those concerned with Britain’s trees woods and forests.

The Social and Economic Research Group (SERG) is a busy dynamic group involved in a suite of projects that develop scientific understanding and practical advice on a range of social, cultural, governance and economic issues relating to the use, engagement and management of British trees and forests. The team currently comprises twelve social scientists, three economists and two statisticians. SERG researchers focus on four broad thematic work areas: 1) well-being and woodlands including: research on the health benefits of woodlands, social and cultural value of trees and woods, motivations and benefits of volunteering, impacts of education and learning in forest environments 2) land manager behaviours including: research on land manager’s decision making for woodland creation and management, adaptation and resilience; the impacts of community woodlands and social enterprises; land manager engagement in policy and governance 3) social dimensions of tree health including research on: behaviours of public and stakeholders in tree and plant supply chains and pathways; acceptability of pest management measures; stakeholder perceptions of risks and resilience 4) economics including valuation of natural capital, cost benefit analysis, economics of climate change and flooding. The group works on several cross-cutting research issues including: urban forestry, climate change and society, public engagement with woods, forest and nature, evaluation of behaviour change interventions including incentives, projects and programmes, and integration of research knowledge into policy and practice. As well as delivering high quality evidence and applied outputs direct to research commissioners, the group has a strong publishing record in a range of high impact social science, policy related and forestry journals.

Members of the group are based at Alice Holt Lodge near Farnham, at the Northern Research Station near Edinburgh, and at the Forestry Commission national office in Bristol. The group is seeking to appoint on a fixed term appointment basis for three years, two Behavioural Scientists to undertake and support the group’s research across the portfolio of projects, with particular emphasis on understanding, influencing, sustaining and changing the behaviours of land managers, stakeholders and a variety of publics connected with the three central social science research themes.

Purpose of the Job
The post holders will carry out behavioural science research that contributes to improving understanding of the values, attitudes, behaviours and actions of land managers and a range of publics and stakeholders across SERG’s three core social science themes of wellbeing, woodland creation and resilient management, and the social dimensions of tree health.

Key Work Areas
1. Manage, and support the management, of research projects in the group’s portfolio, including contracting and procurement, staff scheduling and project team management, and ensuring the delivery of milestones and outputs on time and to cost.
2. Develop research approaches, methods and tools with members of project teams, including customers and stakeholders, and contribute to the collection of data and evidence using those methods and tools.
3. Lead and contribute to, the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, including for example, descriptive statistics, factor analysis, thematic and content analysis.
4. Contribute to the interpretation and reporting of behavioural data, including technical reports, research summaries, website and social media content, and scientific publications.
5. Work with other members of SERG and with other scientists across FR and its partners to develop innovative and interdisciplinary science with potential for impact.
6. Take an active role in business development activities, working with the FR Business Development team, the Head of SERG and other members of the research group to identify, develop and submit proposals for new research projects and scientific collaborations.
7. Take an active role in supporting the management of SERG and other corporate tasks, such as line management of science group staff, or contributing to agency-wide committees and working groups.

Responsibilities

Essential

• Batchelor of Science Degree or Batchelor of Arts degree in the area of behavioural / social and / or environmental science.
• Postgraduate qualification with substantial behavioural social science content within an environmental setting.
• Track record of leading or making a significant contribution to successful behavioural research in a professional context, e.g. within a university project, consultancy mission, or analysing and applying evidence with a government agency.
• Demonstrable ability and experience in behavioural science data and evidence collection using quantitative and qualitative methods, and undertaking field-work and on-line methodologies developed in response to COVID-19.
• Demonstrable ability and experience of using IT including data collection packages (e.g. Qualtrix, Survey Monkey, Smart Survey), data analysis packages (e.g. R, python, Nvivo, SPSS, Qualitrix), collaboration platforms (e.g. Zoom, Teams), and other research support tools (e.g. Mendeley, EndNote, Powerpoint).
• A high standard of verbal and written communication and experience of knowledge exchange with a range of stakeholders.

Desirable

• A broad understanding, and experience of applying behavioural science theories and approaches, e.g. nudge, the theory of planned behaviour, social practices theory, and relating these to forestry and woodland issues.
• Experience of undertaking evaluations and assessments of the outcomes and impacts of interventions, projects, programmes and policies.
• Knowledge and experience of working with land managers (including e.g. farmers, foresters, small woodland managers, land agents, local authorities, conservation and heritage organisations, National Parks and AONBs), and businesses servicing the woodland and forestry sector, (e.g. plant and tree nurseries and producers, plant and tree retailers, arboriculturalists and contractors, timber processing businesses).
• Knowledge and experience of working with stakeholder organisations and agencies active in the development of strategic approaches to forest and woodland governance and management, (e.g. Forestry Commission, Defra, Scottish Forestry, NRW, Natural England, RHS, HTA, ICF, NFU, BALI, LI, Woodland Trust, ConFor, Arboricultural Association).

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Access to learning and development tailored to your role

• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A civil service pension
• 25 days annual leave per year rising to 30 days annual leave after 5 years service. Plus 10.5 days public and additional holidays.

Further information on the benefits of working for Forest Research can be found here: https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/about-us/careers/

Any move to Forest Research from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/