Student & Graduate Placements

Blue Economy Intern - Marine Scotland

Deadline 30th July 2021. We are looking for someone urgently. If we have enough applications we will stop advertising.

The Organisation

Marine Scotland is the Scottish Government directorate responsible for managing Scotland’s seas. This is an exciting time for the directorate as we step up to the triple challenges of tackling the global climate emergency, biodiversity crisis and green economic recovery, where the marine space can play a significant role.  We are looking to develop our Blue Economy approach, as well as adjust to the consequences of EU Exit and impacts of the Covid pandemic on the seafood sector and the new policy making environment we are now in.

The directorate is unusual in Government as it provides end to end support for Ministers covering science through the Marine Laboratory, policy including marine conservation, fisheries, management, funding, aquaculture and marine planning, delivery of licensing and consenting and enforcement through our Compliance division which operate at sea on our compliance vessels, as well as officers around the coast.

If you want to find out more about Marine Scotland please visit https://www.gov.scot/about/how-government-is-run/directorates/marine-scotland/ 

This internship is based in a new team within Marine Scotland – The Funding and Strategy Team and will help to support the development of a Blue Economy Strategy  across the Scottish Government.  The intern will be based in the Blue Economy team and will have the opportunity to work with other Marine Scotland policy areas, the Marine Analytical Unit and other Scottish Government departments. 

Marine Scotland will support the intern to develop their policy skills in a fast moving policy area that is a ministerial priority in the 21/22 programme for government.    

The Role

The 'Blue Economy' approach, is emerging internationally as a concept which encourages better stewardship of the oceans, 'blue' resources, balancing economic activities in the marine space with aims for improvement of human wellbeing, social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks helping to address the climate change biodiversity crises. 

Marine Scotland is developing a Blue Economy approach to managing Scotland’s marine resources, across the Scottish Government and within Marine Scotland with a delivery plan to drive forward action and monitoring and evaluation framework to review progress. 

It is essential that as part of this work Marine Scotland can engage internationally on this approach to share and learn from others thinking in this space.  This project will be essential to achieving this objective.

The internship will be embedded in the Blue Economy policy team and will support the development of the Blue Economy approach in Scotland, specifically looking about what we can learn from and offer the international conversation on this approach.   

The aims of the project will be:

1. To map out the international networks (academic, stakeholder, government) involved in blue economy thinking.   

2.  Identify engagement opportunities with these international networks that enable Scotland to share and learn from the international fora.

3. Review the international literature on blue economy to formulate a policy focused literature review that will help inform Scotland’s Blue Economy approach.

4. While the placement is running Marine Scotland will be delivering a COP 26 programme, the intern will have the opportunity to contribute to the organisation and attendance of these events.

The main outputs of the project will be a matrix of international contacts and a literature review of the international landscape on taking a Blue Economy approach to sustainable management of the oceans. 

The outcome of the project is to establish a baseline understanding of the international landscape in relation to the Blue Economy to inform the development of Scotland’s Blue Economy approach, identifying opportunities  for partnership working with other countries and international fora.

The Candidate

Essential experience:

• Must have studied or be currently affiliated with a MASTS or Scottish Blue Carbon Forum organisation.

A list of the MASTS partner organisations is at: MASTS Partner Institutions - MASTS

The SBCF partners are University of St Andrews, University of Stirling, Heriot Watt University, Nature Scot, University of Glasgow, Edinburgh Napier, SAMS, SUERC and the Lyell Centre.

• Strong written and verbal communications skills with ability to produce clear and concise written material
• Good planning and organisational skills and ability to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines
• Ability to work with internal and external colleagues to deliver successful outcomes
• Ability to work from home and independently
• Ability to work on a fast-paced multicultural environme
• Competent in the use of IT systems such as Microsoft Office

The position will be predominantly remote working but and if restrictions allow then there is the potential for some meetings in the Scottish Government Building in Victoria Quay. There might also be the need to travel to Glasgow for COP26 depending if they are helping with COP26 work.  

Application Procedure

Apply via the Bright Green Business web link provided and click on the APPLY button. You will need to register in order to upload your CV as your application.

NOTE:

• All communication is via EMAIL so always check your JUNK MAIL/SPAM folders for our responses.
• Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK and have the appropriate VISA in place at the application stage and certainly before starting any placement offered. Proof will be sought.

CV's applications will be sifted through to create a shortlist of applicants to progress to the next stage of the selection procedure.

Those shortlisted will be issued with further shortlisting questions via email. Responses to these should be returned by the notified date. Those selected from the second sifting will then have their CV and shortlist question responses sent to the recruiting organisation to decide on interview candidates.

Bright Green Business will then communicate the outcome to these candidates.

We do endeavour to let all applicants know of the outcome once the whole process has been finalised.

Note that applicants must be attending UK universities and have a valid visa to work in the UK. Graduate applicants must have graduated within the last 3 years.