1012-380 Peatland Action Monitoring Officer D Grade March 2026

Job Title: 1012-380 Peatland Action Monitoring Officer Grade: D Hours: 35 (full-time) Vacancy type: 2 years Fixed Term Appointment Salary 41567 Location: Scotland flexible (Home and hybrid working will be considered) Closing date: Midnight 7 April 2026 Internal Interview: 17 April 2026 External Interview: 28 April 2026

Job purpose summary

We are looking for a skilled and motivated person to join the Peatland ACTION Data & Evidence Team as a Monitoring Officer. You will work closely with two other Monitoring Officers as well as others in Peatland ACTION wider NatureScot Scottish Government and external are looking for someone who is open to challenges adaptable and enjoys supportive and collaborative working but is also able to work independently.

You will contribute to the ongoing delivery of thePeatland ACTION Partnership Monitoring Strategyin order to assess the effectiveness of our work to restore Scotlands degraded peatlands. You will evaluate peatland restoration outcomes through monitoring led by Peatland ACTION collaboration with other organisations and funding of external projects. You will also help evidence the range of benefits arising from restoration activity through data review and analysis and input into development of a National Peatland Monitoring Framework. The post covers the whole of Scotland and includes some fieldwork often in remote locations requiring independent travel and occasional overnight stays.

A key component of Peatland ACTION monitoring is continuing to build up a Restoration Monitoring Network that started in 2023 and involves repeatable long-term field-based monitoring across a representative sample of sites. Sites are monitored before and after restoration using vegetation surveys assessment of restoration features fixed point photography and area-level assessments. Surveys are mainly conducted by contracted ecologists managed via a framework agreement but some fieldwork is required to provide training and/or complete surveys. We also manage contracts to maintain hydrological monitoring equipment within an extensivenetwork of water level loggers.

Collaboration with external organisations and funding of external projects is an integral part of our Monitoring Strategy and has allowed us to support more in-depth evaluation of specific restoration techniques water quality monitoring greenhouse gas emission monitoring and development of novel monitoring techniques such as remote sensing tools and eDNA sampling. You will build collaborative relationships to develop monitoring projects assess applications for monitoring funding and communicate effectively across a range of organisations to ensure coordinated peatland monitoring and research.

Context

NatureScots Peatland programme delivers actions to care for Scotlands peatlands. It is integral to the governments determination for peatland protection restoration and management to reduce carbon emissions and contribute wider benefits for biodiversity water management and green growth. The Peatland Programme covers the requirements under the Scottish Government ring-fenced Peatland ACTION support for restoration and the wider NatureScot work on valuing protecting and managing peatlands.

NatureScot has dual role on Peatland ACTION:

• providing leadership on shared services/business solutions across all five Peatland ACTION delivery partners (NatureScot the two National Parks Forestry & Land Scotland and Scottish Water); and
• increasing the pace/scale of peatland restoration projects on the ground.

The NatureScot Peatland ACTION role is expanding in support of the governments 10 year 250m commitment for restoration. It has an annual budget of 20m and comprises over 60 posts employed/supported by NatureScot.

The main duties and responsibilities are:

• Ongoing delivery of the Peatland ACTION Partnership Monitoring Strategy to assess the effectiveness of our work to restore Scotlands degraded peatlands.
• Management of peatland monitoring data including quality assurance processing storage analysis and publication.
• Support and/or lead analysis of existing datasets to draw conclusions and key messages for use in stakeholder communications.
• Continuing implementation of the Peatland ACTION Restoration Monitoring Network including site identification liaison with site contacts monitoring design fieldwork and arranging surveys using contracted ecologists.
• Management of a network of automated water levels loggers at peatland sites across Scotland using contracted hydrologists and other suppliers.
• Procurement and contract management of external suppliers used to deliver peatland monitoring activities.
• Support and assess applications for monitoring funding from external organisations including development of collaborative projects. Review and share outputs from collaborative and funded monitoring projects.
• Budget management and reporting across NatureScot Peatland ACTION monitoring activities.
• Liaise with Peatland ACTION delivery partners Scottish Government and other external organisations to ensure coordinated peatland monitoring and research.
• Provide advice respond to data requests and summarise evidence on peatland restoration monitoring and outcomes for NatureScot Peatland ACTION Scottish Government and other stakeholders.
• Continual review and improvement of monitoring activities and processes including monitoring design protocols data management and use of novel techniques.

Skills required (please address these in your Supporting Statement):

• Degree level qualification in environmental sciences ecology conservation or equivalent.
• Good understanding of upland management and peatland ecology hydrology and restoration techniques.
• Good analytical and critical thinking skills with experience in making evidence-based decisions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to explain scientific concepts simply to a non-technical audience.
• Strong organisational and project management skills including contract management and budget planning.
• Good interpersonal skills to support collaborative working with remotely based colleagues and various external stakeholders.
• Experience of using field-based and desktop GIS tools to support mapping field survey data collection preferably QGIS including in remote areas.
• Good data management and analysis skills with experience using appropriate software and programming languages.
• Full UK driving licence with no penalties

Prerequisites Required

• 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

Working for NatureScot what we offer you

• NatureScot offers some great benefits to reward and support you whilst you are working for us. Our benefits package includes thecivil service pension scheme a generous holiday leave allowance plus flexi time and employee discount scheme. Visit the NatureScotwebsite for further detailsincluding below:
• An environment with flexible working options
• A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% (7.35% employee contributions) days of annual leave including 5 fixed public holidays on St Andrews Day Christmas Day Boxing Day New Years Day and 2nd January
• Equivalent of 2 days paid volunteering leave
• A focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• Job satisfaction from contributing proactively to the twinned nature and climate crisis
• Death in service benefits
• Cycle to work and electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes
• Access to an employee discounts scheme
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Application Process

Application is by CV and Supporting Statement. Please ensure you have attached these documents when submitting your application.

Before applying for this post;

• Internal applicants should read the Self Service Guide (eRDMS A3155575)
• External applicants should read theOnline 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.

Interviews

External candidates will be invited to interview if we are unable to recruit internally.

NatureScots Net Zero commitment

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.

For information regarding the vacancy please contact:

Sally Blyth. Peatland Action Project Manager - Data and Evidence

For information regarding the recruitment process please contact:

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.