The work undertaken by The James Hutton Group is right at the top of the global agenda tackling problems such as the impact of climate change and threats to food and water security. ICS comprises a wide portfolio of skills, working at a range of scales from molecular to global. The Department undertakes research in bioinformatics, geoinformatics, soil science, community planning, policy options appraisal, risk assessment and integrated complex systems modelling, as well as research computing and high-performance computing (HPC). The skills and experience embodied in the ICS teams enable the Department to act as organisers, integrators and enablers of complex interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled and motivated Geographic Computation Specialist to join a world-class team working at the science-policy interface. The ideal candidate loves to see the application of science to real world issues, pays attention to detail, interacts well with clients and gets a thrill out of working at pace. While the Institute promotes progression internally this role has also offered previous incumbents other opportunities as detailed in the Career Trajectories document attached at the bottom of the advert. The successful candidate will undertake research and consultancy as part of a team delivering analytical support to the Scottish Government and the European Commission. The current portfolio focusses on the development, monitoring and evaluation of policy in the fields of sustainability, land use, farming systems and climate change [1]. Through this appointment, we are looking to enhance the range and depth of our team’s technical/computational skills. Specifically, the post holder will design, build and use innovative geographical information system, database and other software systems. This involves sourcing, evaluating, integrating and manipulating very large and complex geographical (spatial and spatio-temporal) datasets and developing bespoke software and database structures to store and manipulate these datasets. All aspects of the application development and research lifecycle will be undertaken with focus on quality of research outputs. The post holder will liaise directly with research clients on project scope and will work with data providers to ensure our research is based on the best available data. The post holder will also communicate research outputs to policy stakeholder and other end-user audiences through web-mapping, participation in workshops, writing technical reports and contributing to peer-reviewed publications. The post requires a bachelor’s degree qualification (or equivalent) with a strong geographical computation or database/software development component. Relevant topics could include but are not limited to geography, geo-informatics and computer science. The core technical skills required are in the use of Geographical Information Systems (e.g. ArcGIS, QGIS) to deliver bespoke explorations of complex spatial datasets and present them as maps or other visualizations. The post also requires knowledge of working with relational databases (e.g. Oracle or PostgreSQL) in a spatial context and the development of research tools using a range of languages (e.g. Python or R). The ability to produce clear and informative web-mapping, technical documentation and communicate effectively in face-to-face interactions with clients is essential. Other desirable qualifications, experience and skills are listed in the post’s person specification. This post is based in Aberdeen but there may be a requirement to travel between sites. For further information and to apply please visit www.hutton.ac.uk/careers The James Hutton Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. As they are under-represented in this area of our work we would particularly welcome applications from women. Our Commitment to Equality and Diversity We will not consider the use of 3rd party recruitment agencies for the sourcing of candidates for this position. The James Hutton Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. The James Hutton Institute is a: Stonewall Diversity Champion; Athena SWAN Silver Status Holder; Disability Confident Committed Employer and a Living Wage Employer. The James Hutton Institute is Happy to Talk Flexible Working. The Company The James Hutton Institute combines strengths in crops, soils and land use and environmental research, and makes a major contribution to the understanding of key global issues, such as food, energy and environmental security, and developing and promoting effective technological and management solutions to these. James Hutton (1726 – 1797) was a leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, an eighteenth century golden age of intellectual and scientific achievements centred on Edinburgh. He is internationally regarded as the founder of modern geology and one of the first scientists to describe the Earth as a living system. His thinking on natural selection influenced Charles Darwin in developing his theory of evolution. Our Values We respect and value our people and the people we engage with We want to make a difference We strive to be excellent in everything we do We lead by example We foster creativity and innovation Documents