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Location
Edinburgh or Glasgow

Category
Placement

Start Date
04/12/2018

Length
12 Weeks (possible extension for a further 12 weeks)

Salary
£9.00/Hour

Hours
35

Deadline
18-12-2018

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The Organisation:

The Scottish Government are looking to fill the role of Decommissioning Officer, working within the Decommissioning and Sustainability Branch. This is housed within the Oil & Gas and Industrial Decarbonisation Unit of the Energy and Climate Change Directorate.

Energy and Climate Change Directorate.

The devolved government for Scotland has a range of responsibilities which include: health, education, justice, rural affairs, housing and the environment. 

Everyone who works within the Scottish Government has a part to play in a common goal: to make our country better. We want to live in a successful Scotland: a healthy, safe, well-educated country, with a vibrant economy and opportunities for all. We want Scotland to be fair, tolerant and green. Put simply, we want a Scotland to be proud of.

The Energy and Climate Change Directorate works to deliver a low carbon society, with sustainable economic growth and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

The Energy and Climate Change Directorate are responsible for:

  • helping Scotland become a prosperous low carbon economy, with secure, affordable and sustainable energy
  • promoting Scotland's climate change, clean energy and energy efficiency programmes internationally
  • working locally to help individuals, businesses and communities make sustainable choices
  • working with the oil and gas industry and energy intensive industries to support their role within the energy transition.

Scottish Governments Decommissioning and Sustainability Branch sits within the Oil & Gas and Industrial Decarbonisation Unit, within the Energy and Climate Change Directorate. The Branch handles policy relating to oil and gas decommissioning including operating the Decommissioning Challenge Fund.

Decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure at its end of life is a requirement the oil and gas operators in the North Sea have begun to undertake.  The value of this industry is estimated to be £15 billion to 2025. This is the initial peak for decommissioning, with a further greater peak expected in the 2030s.  International agreement on approach to decommissioning is currently governed by OSPAR Decision 98/3 on the Disposal of Disused Offshore Installations.

The Decommissioning and Sustainability Branch is responsible for developing policy to support the emerging decommissioning industry in Scotland, and to provide Scottish Ministers with guidance on how to maximise opportunities, whilst protecting the natural environment.   The Decommissioning and Sustainability Branch also run the Decommissioning Challenge Fund alongside policy development.

As a member of the Energy and Climate Change Directorate, you will work closely with policy leads to help develop and deliver the Scottish Government’s policies across this fast-paced directorate. There will be opportunities to engage with stakeholders and provide advice to senior colleagues and Ministers. 

Decommissioning Officer:

The Decommissioning and Sustainability Branch wish to undertake focused work to develop the evidence base to support sustainable decommissioning policy.  Namely:

1.       Undertake research reviewing the literature and outcomes of existing studies, and engage with key stakeholders, to bring together the evidence in relation to marine biodiversity associated with offshore oil and gas installations and removal of these.   Assist in developing the results of the research into advice for Scottish Ministers.

2.       Assist the Decommissioning and Sustainability Branch in developing stakeholder relationships with waste regulators, Zero Waste Scotland, and operators within the Circular Economy to develop and enhance Scottish Governments role in supporting waste policy in decommissioning.

3.       Assist the Decommissioning and Sustainability Branch to identify opportunities for supporting carbon reduction and/or applicability of low carbon technology in decommissioning.

Person Specifications:

The Decommissioning and Sustainability Branch require a person qualified to degree or masters level in a relevant environmental / sustainability subject.  Previous experience in similar environmental or policy roles is not essential but will be viewed positively.

Essential Criteria

  • A sound understanding of environmental issues, including ecological principles, a broad understanding of waste streams and waste handling, and the principles of low carbon energy transition.
  • Ability to collate and analyse a wide range of information to draw out key messages and findings.
  • Project management skills and experience, including delivering pieces of work to high quality and tight deadlines.
  • Strong oral and written communication skills and the ability to clearly communicate often complex information to a range of audiences, including senior colleagues and external stakeholders.
  • Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to balance competing demands and deliver short, medium and long term objectives and balance competing demands in a fast-paced environment and react quickly to changing circumstances.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build good working relationships, and to work positively and constructively with a range of people such as delivery bodies and stakeholders with different priorities and perspectives.
  • Applicants should be proficient in Microsoft Office applications – PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel and Word.

Desirable Criteria

  • An understanding of marine ecology is helpful but not essential if the successful applicant can demonstrate an understanding of ecological principles and environmental science.
  • A broad understanding of the oil and gas infrastructure that will require decommissioning, and some knowledge of how this is undertaken.
  • An understanding of the Scottish Governments existing policy mechanisms to support the decommissioning industry.


All roles are subject to security checks.

Applicants must be part of the EEA or Commonwealth.

Please ensure your CV is tailored to the role you applying for.