Data Scientist/GIS Specialist

Job summary
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) i s a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.
We are looking for compassionate, dedicated individuals who strive for excellence and integrity and who put animal and plant health and welfare at the heart of everything they do.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) are seeking an innovative data scientist / GIS specialist to join the epidemiology and modelling team at the agency’s National Wildlife Management Centre (NWMC). As a member of the team, you’ll be working with ecologists and modellers on diverse topics like the potential for spread of exotic diseases in UK wildlife, the best response to disease outbreaks and the management of non-native invasive species.
APHA safeguards animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment, and the economy. As an executive agency of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), we are a world-leading centre in animal and plant health research, as well as being responsible for identifying, managing, and controlling incidents and outbreaks of endemic and exotic diseases and pests in animals, plants, and bees. We provide unique capabilities and an evidence base for UK government, together with international research and reference responsibilities. The NWMC is an internationally important centre for wildlife disease management with multidisciplinary skills in epidemiology, numerical science, and field ecology.
Job Description

• You will support research staff in the management and provisioning of GIS functionality and data services, ensuring that colleagues have ready access to high-quality, high-resolution GIS data.
• You will produce appropriate cartographic and/or statistical data visualisation outputs as necessary.
• You will support staff in the development of computational and statistical models, contributing to the Wildlife Departments research surrounding wildlife management and risk mitigation against notifiable diseases and invasive non-native species.
• You will contribute to the development of techniques/services for the collection, collation, and analysis of field data (e.g., GPS data, camera trapping data), including estimations of animal density, home range and dispersal.
• You will provide general analytical support services to the Wildlife department, including in the event of disease outbreaks.
• You will support high quality science across the Wildlife Department and the wider APHA through input into spatial and statistical analyses, across a diverse range of ecological and epidemiological topics.
• You will maintain an up-to-date understanding of current scientific techniques relevant to their job role.
  

Person specification
The Following Criteria Are Essential For This Role

• Experience in the application of data analysis and visualisation beyond an educational or training context.
• Experience of data collation and management.
• Experience in at least one of the following tools/coding languages; ArcGIS, QGIS, FME, Python, SQL, R.
• Appreciation for working with sparse or incomplete datasets.
• Proven ability and willingness to learn and develop new skills.
  

Qualifications
A postgraduate degree with a strong data science or GIS component, or equivalent.
Technical Skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Applying knowledge.
• Developing / maintaining expertise.
• Engagement with others.