Toxic Algae Project Monitoring Officer (D23/25.KM)
Location: SAMS, Oban
Contract Type: Open-ended
Working Pattern: Full Time - 37 hours per week – Monday to Friday
Salary Range: £26,444 - £29,605 per annum
Closing date: 15th February 2026
The Role
For the last 20 years, SAMS has worked as part of the Shellfish Partnership with Cefas to deliver a monitoring programme for biotoxin producing algae species in Scottish waters for Food Standards Scotland (FSS). We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to join the team in delivering the operational aspects of this programme.
The role will involve working in close collaboration with the Monitoring Manager to ensure smooth delivery of around 1300 samples per annum, with a seasonal element to sample frequency. Activities will include undertaking sample receipt, processing, analysis, and reporting of results. You will be responsible for stock control of consumables for the programme and will liaise with external sampling officers to supply sampling kits. There will also be opportunities to contribute to SAMS research, education and commercial activities outside the monitoring programme.
Our Ideal Candidate
We are looking for an individual who will bring enthusiasm to their work, using excellent communication skills to work within a team to deliver time sensitive sample analysis to ISO 17025 quality standards. The individual must be organised and practical, ideally with some experience of phytoplankton identification and light microscopy. A high level of self-motivation and diligence is necessary, alongside an ability to work as an efficient team member, as well as independently, where required.
Employee Benefits
Our relatively small, caring community is an ideal environment for making friends, forming collaborations, and supporting each other to do the work that we really care about. Oban and surrounding areas provide a fantastic base to live and work, and we offer a wide range of employee benefits, support and inclusive culture, making SAMS a great place to work.
Our employees are the heart of our business. Recruiting and retaining the right people is the key to our success. Rewarding our employees is therefore an important component of our employment package and we have a wide range of benefits on offer to staff to support your work and lifestyle.
We are proud to provide a wide variety of benefits year-round, offering options to best support our staff, such as: 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, a sabbatical scheme, free car parking with access to electronic charging points as well as access to a number of 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.
Interested?
We would love to hear from you. If you have queries on the job and would like to talk these through before applying, please email these through, in the first instance, to Karen.MacKechnie@sams.ac.uk
Applications must include CV and Cover Letter and should be sent electronically to recruitment@sams.ac.uk quoting Job Ref. ‘D23/25.KM’ in the subject heading.
Closing date for application is 15th February 2026 - Interviews to be held shortly thereafter.
Please note, we are unfortunately unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates therefore must have the right to work in the UK already in place when applying.
Full details can be found here:
Toxic Algae Project Monitoring Officer - Job Description
Toxic Algae Project Monitoring Officer - Job Description (Accessible Format)
Please find further information below on how we can help you apply:
We are a Disability Confident Employer. Where a candidate requires reasonable adjustments as part of the application process, we encourage you to let us know. Where applicants with a disability meet the essential criteria for the job, you will be given the opportunity to demonstrate your skills, talent and abilities at interview.
SAMS’ commitment to gender equality has been recognised, as our institute was presented with an Athena SWAN (Scientific Women’s Academic Network) 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. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, and from all who share our values and can help us to broaden our knowledge and range of ideas.
