Senior Marine Environmental Consultant – Marine Mammals

Contract Type: Fixed Term – 24 months, in the first instance

The Role

This role is to provide environmental consultancy leadership within the SAMS Enterprise delivery team, specifically within the Marine Energy core strategic area. Responsibilities have three main areas of focus:

1. Lead technical development of products and services for commercial work in Marine Mammals consultancy, advising and working with SAMS Enterprise Senior Management Team and Strategic Working Groups to improve, resource and deliver to market needs;
2. Technical delivery: implementation of state-of-the-art acoustic automated processing, database management and data visualisation
3. Income generation, working with the business development team to develop and realise new opportunities in this sector.

This is a key high level technical position to develop and deliver high quality consultancy services to industry and regulators, ensuring projects are delivered effectively to time, cost and quality as per the agreed contractual requirements and to the ISO9001 standard.

Our Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a highly motivated consultant with an enthusiasm for the study and conservation of the marine environment. Demonstratable experience (e.g PhD or Masters preferable, consultancy experience essential) related to marine mammals, bioacoustics and/or species distribution/statistical modelling is essential. You should be experienced in the development and delivery of commercial contracts, be able to work collaboratively as part of a small team and communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders including regulators, industry and colleagues.

You will have a strong background in the collection and analysis of long-term passive acoustic (using static, drifting and/or towed hydrophones) data. In addition, skills in species distribution and habitat modelling, as well as proficiency in standard programming languages are sought (e.g., R, Python or MATLAB). Experience of visual data analysis (photo-ID, focal follow, line-transect surveys) would be valuable. Awareness of UK and Scottish marine environmental regulatory processes in relation to MPAs as well as marine industry (e.g., fisheries, marine energy and aquaculture) monitoring and management is required.

To view the full Job Description please click here

Interested?

We would love to hear from you. If you have queries on the job and would like to talk these through before applying, please email these through, in the first instance, to HR@sams.ac.uk  

Applications must include CV and Cover Letter and should be sent electronically via the 'Apply' button above to recruitment@sams.ac.uk quoting Job Ref. ‘SE03/26.MH’’ in the subject heading.

Closing date for application is 15^th June 2026.  Interviews will be held by the end of June/early July.

We are a Disability Confident Employer. Where a candidate requires reasonable adjustments as part of the application process, we encourage you to let us know. Where applicants with a disability meet the essential criteria for the job, you will be given the opportunity to demonstrate your skills, talent and abilities at interview.

SAMS’ commitment to gender equality has been recognised, as our institute was presented with an Athena SWAN (Scientific Women’s Academic Network) Bronze Award and is currently working towards Investors in Diversity accreditation and has now achieved its first Investors in Diversity Silver accreditation.

SAMS follows Fair Work Practices. SAMS is also an accredited Living Wage Employer Accredited Living Wage Employers | Living Wage Foundation

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