Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Senior Climate Scientist
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Bristol, London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, York
Job Summary
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day lives, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.
About The Directorate
SGC leads Defra’s overall plan for nature, the Environmental Improvement Plan. They also lead our work on access to nature and green spaces, from national parks to pocket parks. Also, they lead our work on net zero and climate adaptation.
Job Description
You will provide senior scientific expertise and support for current and future Defra Net Zero (NZ) policy. Ensure policy development is based on sound science. The role will work closely with Defra (and wider) NZ policy colleagues and analysts to anticipate future research priorities, provide expert advice, including to Ministers and Senior Leadership team. Keep up to date on scientific progress and document emerging national and international evidence. Carry out horizon scanning for future priorities. This role will deliver on Environment Strategy Directorate-led net zero policies and commitments.
The role will specialise in Climate Evidence, operating independently while also contributing to wider policy priorities where business needs require and in agreement with the Head of Climate Mitigation Science.
The role is currently focused on Climate Mitigation and Net Zero, but there will be scope to shape it around your interests and development areas. Net Zero policy development is a growing and challenging area, requiring robust policy confidence and action to close the gap in meeting carbon budget targets. This is a strategic role that involves coordinating and working across boundaries with sector and central teams, as well as external partners.
Key Responsibilities
As a Senior Climate Scientist your key responsibilities may include but are not limited to:
- Lead the collation and synthesis of existing evidence, to develop (with a fellow SSO and G7 in this space) a strategic evidence plan to inform, influence and support policy priorities.
- Work closely with other teams, in particular the Sector Evidence Teams, the Central Science Division and Green Finance teams
- Lead collaborative research projects (potentially including overseeing allocation of funding for research) to fill identified evidence gaps, working closely with policy and analytical colleagues.
- Lead scientific component of specific cross-government work to take a holistic, approach to NZ policy and understand the impact of existing commitments.
- Create an evidence base for your area consolidating data and literature.
- Lead the development of your own evidence-based analysis and synthesis including of academic literature and data analysis.
- Create and maintain a network of experts from across industry, academia, the third sector and government to ensure evidence and policy development has access to the right expertise.
- Communicate clearly e.g. for Ministerial briefings and correspondence to ensure policy advice and public lines are based on the best available evidence.
- Be adaptable, ready to change focus to meet strategic priorities for Climate Evidence, and ready to build expertise in different areas of Climate Evidence science.
- Build and maintain your internal network working well with policy and evidence colleagues to agree priorities, achieve timely delivery of evidence, design and oversee qualitative and quantitative projects providing scientific insights to support policy and delivery decisions across Climate Evidence and to communicate the analysis effectively to various audiences.
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Person Specification
Your personal qualities are as important as your professional experience, and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are looking for proactive, enthusiastic people who can work confidently on their own initiative, communicate clearly, draw together information effectively, and are motivated by the opportunity to contribute to once in a generation change in a key sector.
If you have the skills and qualities we are looking for, we would be pleased to hear from you.
Defra values a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve and is committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued, has a sense of belonging, and is empowered to speak up and challenge openly at work.
We want everyone, whatever their background, to be able to contribute fully to our success.
Essential Criteria
The successful candidates will be able to demonstrate the following:
- Have a relevant training to Masters or PhD level in a climate related subject with experience specifically of GHG emissions, emissions measurement or modelling e.g. Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics or equivalent experience.
- Experience of analysing, interpreting, delivering, and communicating analysis, evidence and concepts clearly in a way that is easy to understand.
- Able to demonstrate ability to build and maintain a network of colleagues and contacts within and outside government to achieve progress on shared outcomes.
- Experience of being a self-starter, demonstrating ability to work on own initiative, and of identifying research needs, designing and specifying research.
- Experience management of research projects including research management, contractor management, financial and risk.
Qualifications
- Masters or PhD in a climate related subject such as Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics or equivalent experience.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Managing a Quality Service
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- GES SSO level competencies.
Salary
Alongside your salary of £42,665, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £12,360 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
Benefits
- 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 employer contribution of 28.97%
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.
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To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:
- An online test
- A CV detailing your career history (including any relevant qualifications). CVs will be assessed against the essential criteria outlined in the Person Specification section of this advert.
- A Personal Statement (max 250 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience evidence of your suitability for this role in reference to the essential criteria.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
For guidance on how to construct your personal statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links – Statement
Online Test
After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55pm on 3rd August 2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
Online Test Maintenance
Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between 4.00pm and 7.00pm on 19th July 2026. You will be unable to access tests during this period.
If you are in the middle of a test when the maintenance begins, your progress will be paused. You will be able to resume your test from where you left off via your application centre once the downtime has ended. Please note that you will not be able to launch any new tests while the system is offline.
Sift
An initial sift will be undertaken using the CV and Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift will progress to a full sift, or progress straight to interview.
Sifting and Interview dates to be confirmed.
Interview
Candidates successful at sift stage will be invited to a video assessment/interview that will consist of a blended interview of Behaviour, Experience and Technical Skills questions.
You will also be required to provide a 5-minute presentation at interview. The presentation topic will be emailed to candidates who have passed the initial online application stage. This will assess candidates’ ability to communicate scientific information clearly and effectively.
Please note that interviews via video use Microsoft Teams and you will need to use your device to access the video link.
You will receive a link to join the interview at the appointed time through the email account you provide us with on your application.
Location
As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).
Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.
The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation
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