Principal Salmon Conservation Scientist

Who We Are

Wild Atlantic salmon are in crisis. Populations in Great Britain have fallen by around 70% in the last 25 years and the species is now listed as endangered in Great Britain. The Atlantic Salmon Trust is the UK’s leading evidence-led wild salmon conservation charity, driven by a mission to restore wild salmon and the environments they depend on across the UK and Ireland. The Trust combines science, practical conservation and advocacy to tackle the challenges facing wild salmon across rivers, coasts and the open ocean.

As an organisation, the Trust is determined to act on what is known about salmon and sea trout, to provide them with the best opportunity to thrive, while also working to obtain a deeper understanding of the environmental conditions they require and how to prevent harm to their populations.

The Trust has a philosophy of always working in partnership, whether as a founding member of the Missing Salmon Alliance, or internationally with organisations across the Atlantic and Pacific. By working together, the Trust believes there is the best opportunity to give salmon and sea trout a thriving future.

Overview of the Role

The successful candidate will lead the Trust’s salmonid conservation science work, which sits at the heart of its mission to restore salmonid populations and the ecosystems in which they live in the UK and Ireland. They will play a key role in influencing the Trust’s strategic research priorities, directing effort at the evidence gaps that genuinely limit recovery, and supporting the restoration team to translate what is already known into large scale restoration action on the ground.

The postholder will provide scientific leadership for all the Trust’s programmes, ensuring that an evidence-based approach to salmon conservation and recovery sits at the centre of the Trust’s restoration, policy and advocacy work. They will represent the Trust as a leading scientific authority with partners, funders and policymakers including academia, catchment managers, public sector bodies and government, Missing Salmon Alliance members, and international organisations working on salmon conservation and recovery. They will also have the opportunity to develop new targeted science projects to fill identified knowledge gaps and build partnerships to deliver those, working closely with the Trust’s Principal Data Analyst to jointly lead the delivery of science and evidence across Trust projects.

This post is fast-paced, recognising the urgency of delivering large scale action for wild salmon in the face of uncertainty, whilst also providing the opportunity to identify and fill knowledge gaps. The postholder will be comfortable exercising judgement under uncertainty, and motivated to ensure evidence is used to direct action. This post reports to the Science and Evidence Director.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide scientific leadership and direction across the Trust’s restoration and environmental leadership programmes, ensuring restoration priorities and advocacy are grounded in salmon and sea trout ecology, including responsibility for the delivery of the science and monitoring activities undertaken by the Trust.
• Influence and deliver the Trust’s strategic research priorities, working with partners, in particular academia, to direct research effort at the evidence gaps that most affect salmon recovery and to support those delivering restoration action to do so with a strong evidence base.
• Act as the Trust’s principal salmonid scientific authority with external partners, funders, regulators and policymakers, supporting the delivery of robust evidence-based policy and advocacy, ensuring science sits at the heart of the Trust’s delivery.
• Lead, manage and develop the Trust’s salmon conservation science team.
• Work jointly with the Trust’s Principal Data Analyst to lead the delivery of science and data across projects.
• Provide scientific quality assurance across the organisation’s outputs, including but not limited to technical reports, advocacy tools and funding submissions, ensuring consistency with current fisheries and conservation science and best practice.
• Develop funding opportunities to support science and evidence projects, write grant applications and/or contribute to wider Trust grant funding work, and manage budgets for projects sitting in the salmon conservation science team.
• Contribute to the Trust’s wider strategic direction as a senior member of the science and evidence function, and undertake other tasks as required to support the delivery of the Trust’s work.

Skills Needed

• Authoritative, current expertise in Atlantic salmon and sea trout ecology and their conservation, and the pressures driving population decline, with the credibility to apply it directly to restoration decision-making.
• Ability to translate scientific evidence into restoration priorities and action, policy and advocacy, exercising sound judgement under uncertainty.
• Strategic research design and prioritisation – the judgement to identify which evidence gaps genuinely matter to salmon recovery.
• A track record ideally spanning both research and applied delivery (e.g. consultancy, a rivers trust or fisheries board, environment/conservation agency or government), demonstrating the ability to move from evidence to implementation.
• Experience providing scientific leadership and quality assurance across a range of projects, partners or funders.
• A good understanding of statistical methods, with experience of GIS tools desirable.
• Experience of writing grant applications.
• Line management and development of staff and experience supervising postgrad students would be desirable.

Essential Requirements

• Postgraduate degree in a relevant field (e.g. aquatic ecology, environmental science) or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of seven years’ relevant experience, ideally combining research and applied delivery.
• Experience and/or training towards a Home Office personal licence (holding a licence is desirable, not essential).
• Full, clean UK driving licence.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly across the UK, as well as occasional international travel.

Conditions of Employment

This is a permanent position with the Atlantic Salmon Trust. The successful candidate will receive a contract of employment together with the Trust’s Staff Handbook and Job Description, which set out the terms and conditions of employment. The appointment is subject to the satisfactory completion of a three-month probationary period, during which performance, conduct and suitability for the role will be reviewed.

The Trust operates a 37.5-hour working week with flexible working arrangements. Occasional evening and weekend working will be required to support meetings, events and project delivery.

The position will attract a starting salary of approximately £48,000–£53,000 per annum, with an additional contribution of 9% towards a pension.

The primary place of work is the Trust’s office at Bridge of Earn, Perthshire, PH2 9HN. The Trust supports flexible and hybrid working, with the recognition of attending the Trust’s office typically two days per week. Alternative working arrangements may be agreed depending on the requirements of the role and the successful candidate.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

The role involves regular travel throughout the UK and, occasionally, internationally to work with partners, attend meetings, undertake fieldwork, and support project delivery. The successful candidate should therefore be willing to travel, including overnight stays where required. Travel and accommodation expenses incurred on Trust business will be reimbursed in accordance with the Trust’s Expenses Policy. As many projects are based in remote locations with no public transport, the ability to drive is an essential requirement.

Learning and Development

The Atlantic Salmon Trust is committed to supporting the professional development of its staff, and encourages continuous learning, supporting the successful candidate through relevant training and development opportunities.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The Atlantic Salmon Trust is committed to being an inclusive employer, believing that a diverse workforce brings broader perspectives, better ideas and stronger outcomes for the communities, partners and environments it works with. The Trust welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and identities and is committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive.

Recruitment decisions are made solely on merit, skills, experience and potential. The Trust is committed to providing equality of opportunity throughout recruitment and employment and encourages applications from groups currently under-represented within the environmental and conservation sector.

How to Apply

Applications should consist of a CV and a covering letter (maximum two A4 pages) explaining how the applicant’s skills, experience and motivation make them a suitable candidate for the role. Applicants are voluntarily asked to also complete and submit a separate monitoring form on equality, diversity and inclusion.

Applications should be emailed to recruitment@atlanticsalmontrust.org no later than 5:00pm on September 1st 2026.

Interviews are expected to take place on September 18th 2026 at the Trust’s main office in Bridge of Earn.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Dr Caro Cowan at caro@atlanticsalmontrust.org.

Applications will be assessed against the essential and desirable criteria set out in the Job Description and Person Specification. Candidates who best demonstrate how they meet the requirements of the role will be shortlisted for interview. If applicants have not heard back within two weeks of the closing date, they should assume their application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

More information: https://atlanticsalmontrust.org/vacancies/