Lothian Wildlife Information Centre
Data Officer
Based at Vogrie Country Park, Near Dalkeith Midlothian
Closing date for applications 17 September 2008
Salary £17,000 - £18,500 per annum

Lothian Wildlife Information Centre is the local biological record centre for the Lothians.  We are looking for a Data Officer to take the lead in managing our data systems and supplying data to users.

We work with a wide range of users supplying data for a diverse range of projects, this includes supplying sites reports and species status information and screening planning applications.  We are involved in running Local Biodiversity Site systems and supporting Local Biodiversity Action Plans.  We also work with local recorders to support wildlife recording and help individuals and recording groups in managing and supplying their data. 

The Data Officer’s core tasks will involve taking responsibility for the management and development of our computer systems, including hardware and software, and, most importantly, developing systems for accessing and manipulating biological data. 
On a day to day basis the postholder will be working with ArcView GIS, Recorder 6, MS Access and SQL - for example to develop new methods linking species status to biological records, developing and applying batch updates for data in Recorder 6, running weekly screening of planning applications for biodiversity constraints and importing biological records supplied by volunteers into Recorder 6.  They will also provide technical support and training e.g. to local recording groups and countryside rangers.  The ideal candidate will have a strong aptitude for working with computers and managing data and will have experience of working with Access and GIS.  If they have experience of working with Recorder 6 and biological records this will be an advantage.

The Data Officer is a new post - although initially funded only for one year we hope to be able to extend this contract further. 

For full details and an application form please email us at recruit@lothian.wildlife.co.uk