Digital Social Scientist

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology; Lancaster; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

An independent research institute is seeking a Digital Social Scientist to lead research in Digital Research Infrastructure development. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in qualitative research and possess a PhD or equivalent. This role includes working with interdisciplinary teams, conducting stakeholder research, and contributing to sustainability initiatives in environmental science. Hybrid working opportunities are available.

Benefits

27 days annual leave

10% employer pension contribution

Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

24/7 access to wellbeing support

Flexible working opportunities

Qualifications

• A good degree in an appropriate subject along with a PhD or equivalent experience.
• Understanding of the relationship between technology and society.
• Experience in qualitative methods for stakeholder research.

Responsibilities

• Conduct qualitative research to understand stakeholder experiences with DRI.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams for developing inclusive technology.
• Publish high quality papers in relevant scientific venues.

Skills

Qualitative research methods

Understanding of technology and society relationships

Strong writing skills

Presentation skills

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Good degree in a relevant subject

PhD or equivalent relevant experience

Job description

Salary - £38,939 - £41,321 Depending on experience
Permanent and Full Time (37 hours per week)
Hybrid working (50/50)
Location: Lancaster
Closing date: November 21st 2025

UKCEH is looking for a Digital Social Scientist to join our 600-strong team. You’ll join the Digital Research group at UKCEH Lancaster, a multidisciplinary team developing Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) for environmental science using qualitative and co-design approaches. Your role involves leading research with environmental science communities to explore both how DRI shapes environmental research and its environmental impacts. UKCEH’s DRI supports the entire environmental research process — data monitoring and processing to analysis and visualisation for decision-making. It includes services such as data management tools (e.g. the Environmental Information Data Centre catalogue), virtual laboratories for collaboration (e.g. DataLabs), and visualisation and decision-support tools for organisations and policymakers.

You’ll work on interdisciplinary projects applying social science concepts and methods to study how technologies, data, and infrastructures are developed, used, funded, and managed. The insights from this work will help design more sustainable and inclusive Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) for environmental science. Your role includes conducting qualitative research — such as interviews and workshops with scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders — to understand their experiences with DRI. You’ll also adapt and advance social science theories and methods to better analyse and interpret the unique characteristics of DRI.

All activities will be in collaboration with the Digital Innovation team in the Digital Research group as well as environmental scientists across UKCEH, and you will be able to effectively communicate across disciplines to other groups who are able to action your insights into more inclusive and sustainable technology and governance designs. Your strong writing skills will support your ability to publish your insights with colleagues and external stakeholders in high quality publications (e.g., in Social Science, Environmental Science, and Human-Computer Interaction venues)

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Uncovering and understanding the experiences of different DRI stakeholders and working with interdisciplinary teams to connect qualitative and quantitative accounts of technology and governance sustainability.
• Bringing together current cross-disciplinary literature on technological sustainability to understand what gaps exist in the field.
• Utilising existing and developed concepts and approaches from the social sciences to understand the many different forms of technologies, data, and infrastructures that are used in the environmental science research process.
• Working in a multidisciplinary environment alongside a team of designers, computer scientists, social scientists and environmental scientists, conducting continuous interdisciplinary research and engagement activities with stakeholders that will inform more sustainable and inclusive DRI development.
• Taking responsibility for the management of qualitative data in projects, including inclusively recruiting stakeholders across environmental science and ethically managing research data
• Collaborating with colleagues in Digital Research on qualitative stakeholder research, as well as colleagues internally and externally to UKCEH
• Presenting and disseminating DRI experience insights with the wider community, especially with the Social Science, Environmental Science, and Human-Computer Interaction research communities through high quality publications

For the role of Digital Social Scientist, we’re looking for somebody who:

• Has a good degree in an appropriate subject as well as a PhD or equivalent relevant experience
• Has knowledge and understanding of relevant ideas, concepts, and approaches for understanding the relationship between technology, science and/or culture or society (e.g., Science and Technology Studies (STS), Theories of Practice, Infrastructure Studies, or Cultural Studies)
• Has experience of qualitative methods (e.g., interviews, workshops) for understanding stakeholder experiences specific to technology
• Has evidence of continuing professional development and up to date knowledge of research in their field, including the application of the social sciences to technology design, use, provision and/or governance, and desirably the environmental implications of technology in society
• Has strong writing skills and is able to publish high quality papers on their qualitative insights, particularly with Social Science, Environmental Science and/or Human-Computer Interaction communities (including conferences such as CHI, DIS, CSCW, etc.)
• Can present work and stakeholder insights clearly to a variety of audiences including non-specialists, and desirably experience in non-academic forms of communication
• Can collaborate with others in a multidisciplinary environment to transform qualitative accounts of DRI use into updates for technology design and governance, working towards actionable sustainability and/or inclusivity interventions and transitions
• Shows a clear interest in understanding and intervening in DRI design and governance for more sustainable and inclusive environmental science
• Works with minimal supervision, keeping managers appraised as appropriate

Working at UKCEH is rewarding. Our science makes a real difference, enabling people and the environment to prosper, and enriching society. We are the custodians of a wealth of environmental data, collected by UKCEH and its predecessors over the course of more than 60 years.

As a valued member of our team, you’ll get:

• 27 days annual leave, rising to 29 days after five years, plus 3 days for our Christmas closure
• 10% employer pension contribution
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave (subject to qualifying requirements)
• 24/7 access to support for physical, mental, social, health, or financial wellbeing, plus trained Welfare Officers
• Flexible working opportunities

And much more...

You’ll be joining a leading independent, not-for-profit research institute committed to recruiting talented people like you, supporting your career progression, and giving you the environment and resources you need to thrive at UKCEH.

Please note: Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role, and this does not qualify for endorsement to support a Global Talent Visa application. If you are considering pursuing self-sponsorship, please indicate this in your application so we can take it into account during the recruitment process.

If we’ve just described you, we’d love to meet. Apply now. Please include a statement as to how the social sciences can contribute towards more sustainable and inclusive DRI for environmental science in your cover letter.