What's involved with this role: Role: Senior Research Advisor Ref: JM 5434 Pay Rate: £22.35 per hour PAYE Contract Length: 4 months Location: Hybrid - Newport – candidates will need to attend the office for meetings as and when required Active SC Clearance is required Our client is seeking a Senior Research Officer to support two scoping projects that will underpin the development of natural capital depletion estimates for renewable resources—specifically timber and fish —as part of the UK’s Natural Capital Accounts programme. These projects contribute to the UK’s alignment with SNA25 and will inform future productionised estimates (3–4 year horizon). The role involves desk research, stakeholder engagement, and methodological scoping for estimating the physical stock, regeneration rate, and consumption of these natural resources. Scoping Data Sources for Timber Depletion Estimates Purpose Timber is one of the first renewable resources for which the team aims to develop physical stock and depletion estimates. The primary objective is to map existing data sources and, where data gaps exist, identify viable methodological approaches to building stock and regeneration estimates. Key Objectives Identify existing data sources to estimate the physical stock of timber in the UK at a given time. If no direct data exists, review methodologies used internationally or in research to estimate timber stock, harvesting rates, and regeneration rates. Specify input requirements (datasets, indicators, surveys, remote sensing, etc.) necessary to build stock estimates. Identify relevant organisations to collaborate with (e.g., Forestry Commission, Forest Research, DEFRA, NGOs). Establish data needed for: Initial timber stock Annual harvesting Natural/managed regeneration rates Deliverables A comprehensive report outlining: Existing data sources Data gaps and limitations At least one viable strategy to develop UK timber depletion estimates Stakeholder map and recommended priority engagements Scoping Data Sources for Fish Stock Depletion Estimates Purpose To support the development of fish depletion estimates by reviewing existing stock assessments, regeneration rate estimates, and identifying the availability and reliability of UK fishery data. Key Objectives Review existing estimates of UK fish stock levels, harvest quantities, and regeneration rates (e.g., sustainability studies, academic literature, government assessments). Provide a view of data reliability, consistency, and limitations. Conduct initial engagement with key data providers such as: Marine Management Organisation (MMO) Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas) Identify obstacles or opportunities for producing depletion estimates in the future. Deliverables A review report summarising: Existing stock estimates Data gaps and quality issues Key constraints in building depletion accounts Core Responsibilities Conduct structured desk research on natural resource data sources, methodologies, and modelling practices. Build and maintain relationships with data providers across UK government, agencies, and sector organisations. Summarise technical findings clearly and concisely for non-specialist and statistical audiences. Contribute to methodological scoping for natural capital physical stock estimation. (Optional, if time allows) Support early-stage data processing or wrangling in Python. Essential Skills & Experience Strong quantitative background (e.g., environmental science, natural sciences, environmental economics, resource management, forestry, ecology, geography, statistics). Experience managing multiple stakeholders, especially in data-rich government or research environments. Ability to critically evaluate datasets, methodologies, and evidence quality. Strong written communication skills, with experience producing research-style reports. Understanding of natural capital accounting, environmental resource measurement, or related frameworks. Desirable Skills Background in forestry, woodland management, timber production, or ecosystem management. Knowledge of UN natural capital accounting guidance, such as: SEEA Central Framework SEEA Ecosystem Accounting Familiarity with UK resource datasets (e.g., Forestry Commission statistics, fish stock assessments, marine datasets). Python programming for data handling and exploratory analysis. Please quote the Job Title & Vacancy Reference No. in your application, or we will be unable to match your CV to the role being applied for. JM Please note that clients invariably ask us to strip out contact details from CVs before we submit them for consideration. This is always quicker and easier to do if you send your CV to us in Word format, rather than as a PDF please.