6617 - NCEA Higher Officer Protocols and Data Capture
| Posting date: | 17 June 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £32,240 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 05 July 2026 |
| Location: | UK |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 4 days per week |
| Company: | Natural England |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | 6617 |
Summary
The England Ecosystem Survey (EES) is Natural England’s largest ever field survey project – an ambitious and high-profile initiative to collect ecosystem data from a wide range of habitats across England. It is a cornerstone project within the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment programme; led by Defra, and part of the government’s major projects portfolio.
The EES project is using professional survey as a tool to provide high quality data to assess the state and condition of biodiversity, ecosystems, and natural capital assets within England’s habitats and landscapes. It will address existing data gaps, including soils.
This varied and often fast paced role will provide project support to the wider EES project team by assisting colleagues with logistics and survey equipment, procurement, historic environment consultation and Vegetation and Landscape and Soils survey design and implementation. The postholder will need to be flexible to respond to the changing needs of the work within the team.
The role will involve some travel at times throughout the year with potential overnight stays.
Job description
Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities
• Provide professional operational advice to surveyors, offering clear and timely guidance to support effective and consistent field delivery, securing good quality data through accurate implementation of protocols.
• Undertake ongoing triage of surveyor feedback to identify issues that need immediate attention in-season whilst informing areas of improvement in future guidance and training materials.
• Support Quality Assurance including resurveys
• Support the science assurance and publication of vegetation and landscape survey field manual
• Support the maintenance, distribution and management of data collection technical equipment, iPads and Geodes, and provide technical support as well as training and guidance.
The successful candidate will be required to show flexibility in managing and adapting to other work should team priorities or resources change.
The EES project is using professional survey as a tool to provide high quality data to assess the state and condition of biodiversity, ecosystems, and natural capital assets within England’s habitats and landscapes. It will address existing data gaps, including soils.
This varied and often fast paced role will provide project support to the wider EES project team by assisting colleagues with logistics and survey equipment, procurement, historic environment consultation and Vegetation and Landscape and Soils survey design and implementation. The postholder will need to be flexible to respond to the changing needs of the work within the team.
The role will involve some travel at times throughout the year with potential overnight stays.
Job description
Key Tasks/Principal Accountabilities
• Provide professional operational advice to surveyors, offering clear and timely guidance to support effective and consistent field delivery, securing good quality data through accurate implementation of protocols.
• Undertake ongoing triage of surveyor feedback to identify issues that need immediate attention in-season whilst informing areas of improvement in future guidance and training materials.
• Support Quality Assurance including resurveys
• Support the science assurance and publication of vegetation and landscape survey field manual
• Support the maintenance, distribution and management of data collection technical equipment, iPads and Geodes, and provide technical support as well as training and guidance.
The successful candidate will be required to show flexibility in managing and adapting to other work should team priorities or resources change.