Location: Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford
Technologist
Salary: Technologist Grade 1 with a Salary Scale of €40,580 to €77,284
Closing Date: 02/01/2025 12:00 PM
Funded Full Time
Job Description
Duration:
Two temporary externally funded non Grant-in-Aid contract post, the indicative duration of which are 22 months and 12 months, subject to contract. A panel may be formed from which future similar vacancies may be filled; such a panel will remain active for a maximum period of 12 months.
Basic Function:
This competition seeks to recruit 2 temporary Technologists to work on a funded project STRATUM, to design and scope a national soil strategy for Ireland and soil monitoring programme. The successful candidates will collaborate with colleagues across Teagasc and external stakeholders, and join a high profile team of research scientists and technical staff with expertise in soil health and spatial analysis.
Background:
Teagasc - The Agriculture and Food Development Authority in Ireland, is the national body providing integrated research, advisory and training services to the agri-food sector. We are global leaders in developing innovative science based solutions for the agri-food sector and unique in holding research, advisory and education functions under one organization. The successful candidates will join the Environment Soils and Land-Use Department based in Johnstown Castle (or other Teagasc Centre by agreement). They will work in an interdisciplinary and collaborative manner with other researchers across Teagasc and externally. As vital members of the Soil Health group at Johnstown, the appointees will contribute to the development of a national soil strategy for Ireland and monitoring programme.
The EU has proposed a legal framework for soils known as the Soil Monitoring and Resilience Law. The overarching objective of this law is to allow soil to deliver essential services and will require all Member States establish national monitoring networks to report on soil health. The successful candidate will join the STRATUM project to develop a national soil strategy and design a soil monitoring network for Ireland, and two appointees are sought in this competition. The successful candidates will conduct a review of current soil data and research, seek expert consultation and engage with stakeholders to develop a framework for a national soil strategy and monitoring network for Ireland. The project will explore the feasibility and costs associated with the implementation of a national monitoring network of sites for agricultural and forest soils as required by the forthcoming EU Soil Monitoring and Resilience Law, and identify knowledge gaps and research priorities to meet the objectives of a monitoring programme and national strategy. STRATUM will deliver a final report and policy brief to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), in addition to identifying short, medium and long-term actions and research needs for a national monitoring programme. Johnstown Castle: Environment Soils and Land Use.
Job Objectives
1. To lead a review of soil health research and monitoring networks, inclusive of surveys and research outputs in Ireland and internationally.
2. Define, using GIS and spatial analysis, the optimum sampling density and criteria to simulate soil districts and units representative of agricultural and forest soils in Ireland, and identify emerging methods for monitoring soil health indicators over large spatial scales.
3. Conduct stakeholder workshops to identify knowledge gaps and methodologies for monitoring networks to deliver on the proposed EU soil monitoring and resilience law, and the research priorities needed in a national soil strategy.
4. Conduct a stakeholder workshop to develop a framework for a national soil strategy and soil monitoring programme for agricultural and forest soils in Ireland that identifies research priorities and actions to deliver on policy requirements.
5. Write workshop outputs, a final report and a policy brief for DAFM, in addition to identifying short, medium and long-term actions and research needs for a national monitoring programme.
6. To assist Teagasc in meeting the commitments of the Quality Customer Service Charter and Action Plan.
7. To actively participate in the annual business planning and Performance Management Development System (PMDS) processes.
8. Fully co-operate with the provisions made for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of themselves, fellow staff and non-Teagasc staff and co-operate with management in enabling Teagasc to comply with legal obligations. This includes full compliance with the responsibilities outlined in the Safety Statement.
9. Any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.
* This job specification is intended as a guide to the general range of duties and is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive. It will be reviewed from time to time with the post holder.
Skills Requirement
Essential
Desirable
Qualifications
* A Level 8 degree (as recognised on the National Framework of Qualifications or equivalent), in geography, environmental science, science, soil science, agriculture or a related discipline
* A postgraduate degree and/or research experience in soil science, environmental science, spatial analysis, would be a distinct advantage
Skills
* GIS skills
* Mapping and spatial analysis
* Excellent writing skills
* Organisation skills
* Database skills
* Collaboration & communication
* Proven record of scientific communications.
* Aptitude for multidisciplinary approaches
Knowledge
* Technical and expert knowledge in soil or agriculture, environment or mapping
* Spatial modelling
* EU and national policy frameworks for soil, water, climate.
Behavioural Competencies
* Ability to work as part of a team, including consulting, collaborating and building relationships with key stakeholders.
* Commitment to teamwork and collaborating with colleagues as per our Teagasc Together ethos
* Strives for high quality of work and demonstrates commitment to the programme.
* Ability to communicate effectively to enable knowledge and technology transfer.
* Scientific writing skills
* Has the ability to problem solve and demonstrates a high level of attention to detail.
* Demonstrates positive approach to new challenges.
Other
As this role will involve driving vehicles, candidates must satisfy and continue to satisfy during employment with Teagasc, legal requirements to drive a car unaccompanied on Irish public roads.
Eligibility
This is an open public competition. Should a current serving Teagasc staff member be successful in their application through open public competition for this post, their current contract of employment with Teagasc will come to an end on taking up this post.
Note: The ‘essential’ qualifications, knowledge, skills and behavioural competencies outlined above are ‘must-have’ which will be used in the selection process.
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