The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is seeking to improve sustainable fishing practices worldwide through its eco-labelling program. Our Research Team, part of the Science and Standards Department, applies diverse analytic methods to understand MSC’s impact on fish stocks, fisheries, and stakeholders.
This role offers the chance to build and analyse geospatial datasets for research directly relevant to global fisheries issues, within a professional yet informal work environment alongside a team of enthusiastic scientists. This 12-month fixed-term opportunity is best suited as a postdoctoral position or for a candidate with equivalent independent research experience.
We’re looking for a data scientist experienced in geospatial software (e.g., QGIS), ready to take a leading role in analysing geospatial data, quality-assuring the MSC spatial database, and disseminating research to internal and external audiences. You’ll bring hands-on experience with geo-referenced spatial data and software platforms, strong quantitative analysis skills, and a track record of leading or contributing to writing peer-reviewed papers.
Familiarity with the MSC certification process, fisheries management, or marine fish stocks would be a bonus. Strong organisational skills, the ability to work independently, and good communication skills in a multi-national, multi-disciplinary team round out what we’re looking for.
Working at the MSC
The MSC’s vision is for the world’s oceans to be teeming with life, and seafood supplies safeguarded for this and future generations. Today, the impacts of overfishing and climate change pose an even greater threat to the ocean and fish stocks. Through our internationally recognised certification and ecolabeling program, well-managed sustainable fisheries are recognised and rewarded throughout the seafood supply chain. Over 700 fisheries around the world, representing 19% of the annual global marine catch, are now engaged in the MSC program and MSC certified and labelled seafood products are now available in over 66 countries. Through partnerships and collective endeavour, we are on a mission to end overfishing.
Key Responsibilities
Spatial data analyses
- Lead and independently conduct analyses of geo-referenced data from the MSC spatial database and potentially other MSC or external datasets, aligned with MSC strategic priorities and jointly planned with colleagues.
- Extract spatial data and summary statistics in response to data requests from across the organisation.
- Liaise with relevant colleagues to ensure continuity of ongoing projects and analyses during the assignment.
Science communication
- Lead on the writing of one or more papers intended for submission to peer-reviewed scientific journals, report on the results of the spatial data analyses, and take responsibility for their scientific rigour and quality.
- Represent MSC’s research on spatial data analyses through presentations to internal and external audiences, including conferences, workshops, and scientific fora.
- Take technical information and tailor communication of results and reports for specific audiences.
Contributing to MSC spatial database and outputs
- Help to develop the MSC spatial database following best practice and established procedures.
- Provide quality assurance of geo-referenced data entered into MSC’s spatial database, including fishery areas of distribution, fish stock areas of distribution, and jurisdictional management areas.
- Conduct validation of previously entered spatial data, correcting or escalating errors identified during data validation.
- Maintain clear documentation of data processing and analytical methods to support reproducibility and continuity at the end of the assignment.
Other
- Assist in fulfilling other data requests and data-related needs within the Research team.
Technical Skills, Qualifications & Experience
Required
- Educated to Master’s degree level or with equivalent experience in data science, geospatial techniques, or other quantitative resource management science.
- Proven experience:
- working with geo-referenced data in standard software platforms (e.g. QGIS)
- conducting analyses of geospatial data.
- Experience in
- data management and validation
- following best practices
- and writing scientific papers.
Highly desirable
- Independent research experience at post-Masters, doctoral or post-doctoral level.
- Demonstrated track record of leading peer-reviewed scientific papers.
- Experience in preparing visual research outputs.
- Familiarity with the MSC certification process and ecolabelling program.
- Demonstrated understanding of marine policy, fisheries management, fish population, and marine conservation issues.
- Advanced skills in statistical software and command line languages (preferably one or more of: R, Python, SQL, or PostgreSQL).
