Chief Scientist

Can you help us use science to deliver nature recovery?

Natural England is the Government’s advisor and central delivery body for the natural environment in England, helping to protect and restore England’s nature and landscapes for people, the environment and the economy. It forms part of the Defra Group.

At the heart of Natural England’s mission is the recovery of nature with the clear understanding that thriving nature is fundamental to the future of everyone, from all walks of life and of our planet. At Natural England, we have statutory responsibility for ensuring that the natural environment is conserved, enhanced and managed for the benefit of present and future generations. Nature Recovery is our mission with four core programmes around Greener Farming and Fisheries, Sustainable Development, Connecting People with Nature, and Resilient Landscapes and Seas. It is an especially exciting time to be joining Natural England as we are a leading player in delivering the Government’s 25-year Environment Plan, 2030 Nature targets and Net Zero ambitions.

Our Chief Scientist is key member of our Executive Team and is pivotal in helping us maintain and build upon Natural England’s scientific, data and technical capability, creating a culture in which everybody in NE can make effective use of evidence, maximising the practical application and communication of our knowledge and specialist skills in our own work and as an adviser to government.

We are an important stage in our evolution as a science-based organisation. We are building on our traditional science basis to encompass new techniques for monitoring, modelling and evidence gathering and maturing our ability to manage and use data to underpin effective decisions and better communicate why.

To be successful as our next Chief Scientist, you will need to be adept at leading people and change and at engaging persuasively with a wide range of people - colleagues, decision makers in government and conservation practitioners and partners as well as landowners and businesses. You will be a skilled scientist and may come from a wide range of science backgrounds, not just conservation, and we are open to where your career to date has been eg industry, academia, the 3rd sector as well as public bodies. Whatever your background, you will join us as a leader of profession: but where your principal purpose is practice, not theory.

If you are motivated by our mission, and are enthused by our work, we would love to hear from you.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Job contact :

Name :
Khadeeja Khalid
Email :
khadeeja.khalid@gatenbysanderson.com

Recruitment team

Email :
joanne.beresford@defra.gov.uk