HR Administrator (Maternity Cover)

Scottish Association for Marine Science; Scotland; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

A Scottish research institute is seeking a part-time HR Assistant to manage recruitment, onboarding, payroll, and administrative support. The ideal candidate will have HR work experience or relevant qualifications, along with excellent communication skills. The position offers hybrid working options and various employee benefits. Applications are due by 23rd November 2025, with interviews set for 2nd December 2025.

Benefits

Flexible & hybrid working options

Purchase of additional annual leave

Shopping discounts

Cycle to Work scheme

Training & development courses

Qualifications

• Experience in recruitment and general HR administration.
• Ability to work in a small team environment.
• Willingness to learn additional HR tasks.

Responsibilities

• Manage recruitment, onboarding, and probationary processes.
• Maintain HR records and support software systems.
• Run a small monthly payroll.
• Assist with HR administration and support.
• Support other SAMS areas as needed.

Skills

HR work experience

Excellent customer service

Communication skills

Microsoft Office proficiency

Education

HR degree or CIPD Level 3

Job description

Location: SAMS, Oban

Contract Type: Fixed Term – up to 31st December 2026

Working Pattern: Part Time - 26 hrs per week – preferred work pattern Tues-Fri, however, open to discussing other options. Happy to consider a blend of home/on-site working.

Salary Range: £26,444.00 - £29,605.00 per annum (FTE).

Closing date: Sunday 23rd November 2025

Role

The role is short term and will mainly focus in the following HR areas:

• Recruitment, onboarding and probationary processes: Advertising jobs, organising sifts and interviews including HR participation on interview panels. Carry out all inductions for new staff and monitor probationary reports. Assist with requests for casual employment and student internship enquiries.
• Maintaining HR records: Data entry and run reports on our HR database, support other software systems requiring data input and maintenance. Calculate and update annual leave records for staff.
• Payroll: Run a small monthly payroll.
• HR administration/support: Prepare contracts of employment, letters, documents; assist with employee benefits, HR queries, purchase orders, student intern requests, update training records, ordering stationery.
• Support other areas of SAMS: New HR projects; reception break cover (on occasion); visitor centre cover one day a week in our Ocean Explorer Centre (Fri).

There is also scope, where time allows, to learn additional HR tasks which are of interest and support your career goals.

Our Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a versatile individual who has either HR work experience, has just completed an HR degree or CIPD Level 3 qualification, or is an administrator looking to upskill and increase their knowledge base and gain further work experience. Ideally, you will have experience of recruitment and general HR admin, possess excellent customer service and communication skills and be able to work in a small team environment. You will also be conversant with Microsoft applications – Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and OneDrive. The successful candidate must be able to start work by 1st February 2026, to allow time for a handover of work tasks.

Employee Benefits

SAMS offers a wide range of benefits to support staff and lifestyle, including:

• Flexible & hybrid working options
• Purchase of additional annual leave
• Shopping discounts
• Cycle 2 Work scheme
• Purchases of technology through salary sacrifice
• Payroll Giving
• Pensions Plus
• Access to portals to support health and wellbeing
• Sabbatical scheme
• Free car parking with access to electronic charging points
• Training & development courses

Additionally, SAMS encourages and recognises excellence among staff through various recognition and reward arrangements. We are striving to constantly develop and expand the benefits and offers for our colleagues.

If you are interested, we would love to hear from you. For queries before applying, please email [e-mail]. Applications must include CV and Cover Letter and should be sent electronically to [e-mail] quoting Job Ref. ‘D14/25.KC’ in the subject heading. Closing date for application is 23rd November 2025 – Interviews to be held on 2nd December 2025 on-site at SAMS. Please note, we are unfortunately unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

Full details can be found here: www.sams.ac.uk/vacancies

We are a Disability Confident Employer and encourage applicants to let us know if they require reasonable adjustments. SAMS follows Fair Work Practices and is committed to an equal and open organisation, encouraging applications from all backgrounds.

SAMS’ commitment to gender equality has been recognised, as our institute was presented with an Athena SWAN Bronze Award and is currently working towards Investors in Diversity accreditation. SAMS follows Fair Work Practices. SAMS Group is committed to being an equal and open organisation. Diversity and inclusion are important to us, and we strive to remove any barriers that may prevent people from applying to join us.