View Vacancy -- Sustainability Officer LMS - 2009

Open Date
24/11/2022, 10:15
Close Date
03/01/2023, 23:55
MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences
The MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS) conducts world-leading medical research. The LMS research is supported by core funds from the Medical Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and is focused on making fundamental scientific discoveries that are relevant to understanding and treating human disease.
UK Research and Innovation is a new entity that brings together nine partners to create an independent organisation with a strong voice for research and innovation, more information can be found at www.ukri.org

MRC - 4
London
£32,005- £35,143 plus London allowances (£3,727 & £1,402) per annum
Fixed Term
Technical & Scientific Professionals
Full Time
until March 2025

Introduction:

The MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS) conducts world-leading medical research. The LMS research is supported by core funds from the Medical Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and is focused on making fundamental scientific discoveries that are relevant to understanding and treating human disease.

Research science can have a considerable environmental impact and we are determined to minimise ours to help meet UKRI’s ambitious sustainability targets. Efforts so far have been coordinated by a passionate group of staff and student volunteers called Greening LMS.  

We are looking for an organised and driven individual who is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about sustainable practice in research environments to help lead the Institute towards more sustainable practices. The role will provide the opportunity for the right person to design novel environmental strategies and policies to shape the development of the Institute towards UKRI sustainability targets. This individual will lead on designing, organising and promoting initiatives within the LMS and in conjunction with other MRC institutes.

 

Overall purpose:

Project manage sustainability initiatives at the LMS. The role will involve providing support for existing greening projects, instigating and advising on new sustainability initiatives and promoting these ideas with the scientific and support community at the institute. This will involve liaising with various departments across the LMS such as the communications team who can support with messaging and promotion, and other departments involved in greening initiatives, such as Estates and Facilities, IT, Finance and the admin team to direct strategy in line with URKI targets.


Main duties:

  • Funding and Projects: Manage existing funded greening projects and help with non-funded initiatives, coordinating between internal departments and external suppliers to implement these projects, identify other potential funding avenues for greening initiatives and help with applications
  • Sustainability Strategy: Identify best practice that can be implemented at the LMS in its approach to sustainability, develop a plan to address these areas and communicate this with the LMS community
  • Engagement and Monitoring: In conjunction with Greening LMS promote sustainable lab and office practices within the LMS, collaborate on the generation of promotional material, arrange social events and monitor engagement with initiatives
  • External Partnerships: Engage and work in partnership with the other MRC institutes and other UKRI stakeholders to establish best practice, share ideas, coordinate on projects where economies of scale allow for more ambitious projects (e.g. with SMEs)

Key responsibilities:

  • In conjunction with the Greening LMS team, lead on managing existing funded sustainability initiatives and coordinate any changes across departments
  • Help identify and apply for grants for new sustainability initiatives
  • With support from the Communications team, help promote initiatives with the scientific community, internal departments and scientific leadership
  • Identify opportunities for improvement in sustainability within the institute and design a strategy to meet the UKRI sustainability goals
  • Liaise across departments and across MRC institutes to identify and address any problems with new initiatives and share best practice
  • With support and guidance from the Communications team, create posters, social media posts, blogs, and copy for internal newsletters.
  • Train new staff and students in sustainable practices at the LMS.
  • Help organise and communicate Greening LMS events and workshops.
  • Help write and run surveys to monitor areas for development in greening policy at the institute.
  • Where possible monitor the efficacy of ongoing greening projects

 

Working relationships: You will report to the Head of Operations. You will work closely with Greening LMS team, Head of Estates, Head of Lab Services, Head of Finance, Health and Safety and Communications team. Will support and communicate with Director of Studies and Group Heads on changes to scientific practices.

Chiefly responsible for management and coordination of greening projects across the institute and will play a key role in directing environmental policies developed in line with UKRI targets.

Education / Qualifications / Training required:

Essential:

  • Degree in science-related subject or equivalent

Desirable:

  • Training/Qualifications related to sustainable practices

Previous work experience required:

Essential:

  • Experience of managing or coordinating projects, ideally related to sustainable improvements
  • Experience in aiding and implementing sustainable science initiatives
  • Previous experience of working in an academic research environment or equivalent

Desirable:

  • Experience in a projects that work across different departments/ stakeholder groups
  • Experience managing budgets
  • Experience in impact evaluation, ideally related to the implementation of sustainable practices

 

Knowledge, skills and experience:

Essential:

  • Skills in supporting the production of written communications for a range of stakeholders
  • Experience in sustainable practices and understanding sustainability in science

Desirable:

  • Experience in writing grant/funding applications
  • Project management qualification
  • Skills in policy development
  • Experience in arranging small events/ social activities

 

IT skills

Essential:

  • Good skills in Microsoft Office (Including PowerPoint and Excel)

Desirable:

  • Basic competence in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign to help prepare promotional material.
  • Competence in Prism to analyse and present data from surveys/ monitoring

Personal skills/behaviours/qualities:

Essential:

  • Demonstrable passion for sustainability and its impact
  • Ability to work independently
  • Ability to build effective relationships quickly and inspire trust
  • Ability to prioritise workload and meet agreed deadlines
  • Ability to manage multiple short- and long-term projects
  • Detail conscious and very well organised

Desirable:

  • Initiative to independently progress projects and apply for further funding

Communication skills

Essential:

  • Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
  • Ability to communicate complex information effectively

Desirable:

  • Ability to engage with staff members at all levels of seniority to promote sustainable practices and, at times, disrupt the status quo
  • Ability to be assertive on change required to meet targets set out by UKRI/MRC
Applicants should submit their CV with a cover letter describing the motivation for the post and how the candidate fits the person specifications. 
The MRC is a great place to work and progress your career, be it in scientific research or the support functions.The MRC is a unique working environment where our researchers are rewarded by world class innovation and collaboration opportunities that the MRC name brings. The MRC is an excellent place to develop yourself further and a range of training & development opportunities will be available to you, including professional registration with the Science Council.

Choosing to come to work at the MRC (part of UKRI) means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme and excellent holiday entitlement to access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme, as well as the chance to put the MRC and UKRI on your CV in the future.

Our success is dependent upon our ability to embrace diversity and draw on the skills, understanding and experience of all our people. We welcome applications from all sections of the community irrespective of gender, race, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability or age. As "Disability Confident" employers, we guarantee to interview all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health, agriculture and food security, and bioscience for health which includes research on animals, genetic modification and stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research, you should consider whether this conflicts with your personal values or beliefs.

We will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as an essential part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extreme organisations affiliation check.  The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role.  UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

This opportunity is closed to applications.