At the Environment Agency we aspire for inclusivity to thrive in our workforce. We embrace equal opportunities and flexible work arrangements, ensuring everyone can contribute and succeed.

Through our role as a Public Sector Research Establishment, we are co-leading the flagship UKRI funded METIUS (Mobilising Evidence Through AI and User Informed Synthesis) project. Launched at the United Nations General Assembly in 2025 by the Minister for Science Prof Patrick Vallance, METIUS aims to develop AI tools that can robustly enhance the Evidence Synthesis process to improve way evidence is used in policy and decision-making.

This is an excellent opportunity for a social scientist to work with international partners to lead the development of METIUS's baseline understanding of how environmental evidence is currently being used in Government, and what shapes its uptake.

You will be responsible for:

• Generating evidence relating the institutional context, working practices, relationships and decision-making processes of partner organisations, to reveal how they themselves currently produce, interpret and use evidence.
• Using that evidence to plan and create case studies for each of the METIUS end users and partners.
• Engaging with end users to facilitate delivery of the METIUS project and enhance the reputation of the Environment Agency
• Supporting translation of those case-study findings into practical insights for the co-production, testing and implementation of METIUS outputs, while maintaining clear research records and project information.
• Contributing to effective communication and dissemination of outputs, including publication of any significant insights produced.

Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be asked to have an incident role and make yourself available to respond to incidents or provide business continuity support during an incident. This may attract an additional payment, and full training will be available to support you with your incident role.

You will be a part of the multi-disciplinary Flood and Coastal Risk Management (FCRM) Research team, which creates the evidence required to achieve the FCERM Strategy ambitions and to underpin future strategic direction.

From there you will liaise and collaborate with scientists across the Environment Agency, including within FCRM and the Chief Scientists Group (CSG).

As part of the METIUS project's Climate, Environment and Society work package you will also collaborate externally and internationally.

Required:

You must hold a PhD.

Experience of applying social scientific knowledge and methods to generate and analyse a range of data types

Experience of contributing to or leading the development of written social scientific outputs, such as reports or journal articles, to a publishable standard.

Ability to set and deliver high work standards, reliably exceeding agreed goals

Experience of developing relationships with stakeholders to build trust and achieve better outcomes.

Ability to prioritise and organise tasks and resources to ensure timely achievement of results, demonstrating tenacity and perseverance to do so where required.

Ability to convey information and ideas clearly, accurately and persuasively through speech, inspiring attention from an audience.

Experience of developing relationships with stakeholders to build trust and achieve better outcomes.

Desirable:

Experience of using case studies to understand complex social arrangements

Experience of Evidence Synthesis Methods

Experience of Socio-Technical Systems or Institutional theory

The FCRM team is a dispersed national team that welcomes applicants from any location. Working from your local office, you will be in close communication with colleagues and partners around England and internationally.

The METIUS project comprises a consortium of 38 people from 19 different institutions on 3 continents. The Climate, Environment and Society Work package is co-lead by the Environment Agency, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Cambell South Asia.

This role will require the ability to travel regularly within the UK.

For more information about working for us, our extensive range of employee benefits and how to apply, please read the candidate pack and additional information document.

For questions relating to this role, please contact Dr Sam Brown ([email protected])