This presents a significant challenge for statutory reporting. NRW must determine whether observed changes reflect real biological trends or methodological artefacts, and must identify alternative metrics that remain robust under current access constraints.

Expected outputs

This project requires two key actions:

• Quantitative review of long-term vs post-change data
  • Assess the impact of the 2024-2025 method change on detectability, pup counts and survival estimates.
  • Compare Skomer Island and Marloes Peninsula datasets to identify biases and uncertainties.
  • Determine which historic metrics remain usable and which require adjustment or replacement.
• Development of a future-proof monitoring approach
  • Evaluate feasible methods under current access restrictions, including enhanced cliff-top protocols, remote cameras, drones and automated image analysis.
  • Identify alternative indicators of population health (e.g., peak pup counts, site occupancy, trend-based indices).
  • Produce a revised monitoring protocol suitable for SAC/MCZ/SSSI reporting.

What You Will Do

• Carry out a quantitative review of a long-term data set vs a post change data set, making an assessment of data comparability.
• Make recommendations for revised metrics and develop a practical monitoring protocol that maintains the integrity of this long term monitoring programme.
• Produce a comprehensive report to communicate your findings.
• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.
• Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy, together with an understanding of how it operates within the responsibilities of the post.

Your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills

In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Can Only Accept Applications To The PhD Student Placement Programme From Registered Students Who Are Within Their Funded Period. Before Applying, All Applicants Must

• Seek approval from their academic supervisor;
• Confirm the method of payment with their finance department;
• Confirm they can take a study break for the duration of the placement.

Sound understanding of marine monitoring techniques and report writing. A sound understanding of statistics and experimental design. Good communication skills with the ability to extract and present key information to a range of audiences in both written and oral forms.

Welsh Language level requirements

Essential: Level A1 - Entry level

Welsh language levels

Please note if you do not meet the A1 requirement i.e., ability to understand basic phrases and ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly, then NRW offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Additional Information

Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. Appointments are normally made within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.

Natural Resources Wales is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position. Although we hold a Skilled Worker visa sponsorship licence, it applies only to specific roles that meet both the eligibility criteria and salary requirements set out by the UK Government under the Skilled Worker visa route.

Benefits

This role will offer a range of benefits, including:

• Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 28.97% (successful internal staff will remain in their current pension scheme)
• 28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
• Generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
• Commitment to professional development
• Health and wellbeing benefits and support
• Weekly wellbeing hour to use as you choose

See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.

Please keep reading

We're passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are committed to equal opportunities, and we guarantee interviews for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We want to attract and retain talented and highly skilled staff, so we make sure that our pay scales remain competitive. We advertise the full pay scale on our job descriptions. Appointed candidates start at the first point of the pay scale and annual increments are paid each year.

We want our staff to grow professionally and personally. From leadership development to access to further and higher education courses, our staff have opportunities to expand their knowledge on variety of topics, stay current in their field and continue to learn as their career progresses.

We are a Bilingual organisation which complies with the Welsh Language Standards. Welsh language skills are considered an asset to NRW, and we encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills.