1011-411 Marine Benthic and Database Adviser - D Grade - June 2026

NatureScot is Scotland’s nature agency. We are committed to working with others to tackle both the climate emergency and biodiversity loss to ensure a nature-rich future for all. Part of our work includes improving awareness and understanding of Scotland’s Marine Protected Area network and of information relevant to the conservation of Scotland’s seas to a range of decision makers and audiences. 

This role will focus on ensuring marine sensitivity information is accessible to a wide range of audiences through our online Feature Activity Sensitivity Tool – FeAST.  FeAST has been developed using the Craft Content Management System (by an external contractor) and allows users to investigate the sensitivity of marine features in Scotland’s seas against pressures arising from human activities. The ambition for FeAST is to hold sensitivity information for all marine features of conservation importance in Scotland (e.g. Priority Marine Features and protected features of Marine Protected Areas) in a transparent and consistent manner. The successful candidate will project manage the ongoing development updates and bug fixes to the tool, update the data it holds, develop training resources and upload new feature sensitivity information to support a planned Scottish Government consultation on management measures for fishing activity for MPAs and PMFs. Producing new benthic feature sensitivity assessments and editing a range of existing assessments with specialist advisers is also required.

The post will sit within the Marine Ecosystems Team but will require working with our contracted digital developer alongside staff in NatureScot’s Sustainable Coast and Seas Team, our Information and Cyber Security Team, and with external partners such as JNCC. 

The post-holder may also need to contribute to the wider work of the Marine Ecosystems Team.

Flexibility in working patterns and days can be provided to accommodate the suitable candidate.

• Project manage the system development of FeAST with contracted software developers, to improve functionality and user experience e.g. collating, clarifying and communicating user stories for ongoing development, user acceptance testing of developer outputs.
  • Coordinating and applying the content updates (including reference lists) for FeAST using the Craft CMS software to import, edit and delete records, and provide quality assurance. This may involve the use of AI software.
  • Ensuring privacy, cyber security and accessibility compliance.
  • Updating and producing new sensitivity assessments for benthic marine features, including reviewing relevant literature (e.g. such as sensitivity information from MarLIN).
  • Coordinate and support the completion of sensitivity assessments by other specialist advisers in NatureScot.
  • Develop and provide training and materials to support FeAST users - including NatureScot staff, external organisations and others.
  • Help promote FeAST, its purpose, benefits and use. 
• Contribute to the wider work of the Marine Ecosystems team as required.

In your Supporting Statement, please provide evidence using specific examples demonstrating how you meet each of the following criteria. We recommend using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to illustrate your experience and the impact of your work:

• A degree in a relevant subject, ideally complemented by postgraduate research or professional experience or equivalent 
• A sound understanding of the marine benthic ecology, habitats and species of Scotland, the activities and pressures that affect them and issues relating to their conservation and recovery.
• Data and relational database management experience (experience with use of Craft CMS software or equivalent would be useful).
• Technical knowledge and /or experience of systems development processes and methods, including agile development.
• Project management experience, particularly useful if related to digital development projects, including the ability to prioritise work, adapt to changing priorities and work to deadlines.
• Competent in using Excel and meticulous with detail.
• Good interpersonal skills with a proven ability to work as part of a team and independently.
• Effective written and verbal communications, especially the ability to convey complex information clearly and confidently to a variety of audiences.

• Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK and resident in Scotland for the duration of the job contract
• To undertake a Disclosure Scotland application.
• Although Gaelic language is not a prerequisite it is a desirable skill in support of our commitment to our Gaelic Language Plan

Before applying for this post;

• Internal applicants should read the Self Service Guide (eRDMS A3155575)
• External applicants should read the Online Job Application Guide 

If you have previously applied for a vacancy with NatureScot you must remove the supporting statement from your profile, before uploading a new version.

Whether working at home or in an office, or travelling to meetings and site visits, as a NatureScot you will contribute to our Net Zero plan, for example through positive carbon travel choices. 

recruitment@nature.scot  

Nature is vital to all of us, so it is vital that we are an organisation for all of Scotland. The more diverse NatureScot is, the better we will be in connecting everyone with nature. We particularly encourage applications from people from Minority Ethnic (ME) backgrounds and people with a disability.