Toxic Algae Project Monitoring Officer

• Location: SAMS, Oban
• Contract Type: Fixed Term – funded to 31st March 2026, in first instance
• Working Pattern: Full Time- 37 hrs per week – Mon-Fri
• Salary Range: £26,444 – £29,605 per annum
• Closing date: 22nd November 2024.

The Role

For the last 19 years, SAMS has worked as part of the Shellfish Partnership with Cefas to deliver a monitoring programme for biotoxin producing algae species in Scottish waters for Food Standards Scotland (FSS). We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to join the team in delivering the operational aspects of this programme.

The role will involve working in close collaboration with the Monitoring Manager to ensure smooth delivery of around 1300 samples per annum, with a seasonal element to sample frequency. Activities will include undertaking sample receipt, processing, analysis, and reporting of results. You will be responsible for stock control of consumables for the programme and liaise with external sampling officers to supply sampling kits. There will also be opportunities to contribute to SAMS research, education and commercial activities outside the monitoring programme.

Our Ideal Candidate

We are looking for an individual who will bring enthusiasm to their work, using excellent communication skills to work within a team to deliver time sensitive sample analysis to ISO 17025 quality standards. The individual must be organised and practical, ideally with some experience of phytoplankton identification and light microscopy. A high level of self-motivation and diligence is necessary and an ability to work as an efficient team member well as independently, where required.

Employee Benefits

Our relatively small, caring community is an ideal environment for making friends, forming collaborations, and supporting each other to do the work that we really care about. Oban and surrounding areas provide a fantastic base to live and work, and we offer a wide range of employee benefits, support and inclusive culture, making SAMS a great place to work.

Our employees are the heart of our business. Recruiting and retaining the right people is the key to our success. Rewarding our employees is therefore an important component of our employment package and we have a wide range of benefits on offer to staff to support your work and lifestyle.

We are proud to provide a wide variety of benefits year-round, offering options to best support our staff, such as: flexible & hybrid working options, purchase of additional annual leave, shopping discounts, Cycle 2 Work scheme, purchases of technology through salary sacrifice, Payroll Giving, Pensions Plus, access to portals to support health and wellbeing, a sabbatical scheme, free car parking with access to electronic charging points as well as access to a number of training & development courses.

Additionally, SAMS encourages and recognises excellence among staff through various recognition and reward arrangements. We are striving to constantly develop and expand the benefits and offers for our colleagues.

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

For further information, please go to www.sams.ac.uk/vacancies

Applications must include CV and Cover Letter and should be sent electronically to recruitment@sams.ac.uk quoting Job Ref. ‘D20/24.SS’ in the subject heading.

Closing date for application is 22nd November 2024 – Interviews to be held in early-December 2024.

Please note, we are unfortunately unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

SAMS Group is committed to being an equal and open organisation. Diversity and inclusion are important to us, and we strive to remove any barriers that may prevent people from applying to join us. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, and from all who share our values and can help us to broaden our knowledge and range of ideas.