Environmental Research Officer

We are delighted to be recruiting a Research Officer to join our Industry Sustainability team following an internal promotion. The successful candidate will be working with colleagues who are focusing on the delivery the SWA sustainability strategy and helping provide members with information to help build understanding of complex environmental policy topics relevant to their business operations. This role reports to the Head of Environment.

The research officer will be involved in supporting the team’s varied objectives, which sit under the SWA’s workplan, working with different topics and supporting different areas of our sustainability strategy. 

You will research and write briefings; help collate information for use by SWA colleagues supporting understanding of key topics positions, you will help in analysing and summarising different reports such as consultations, policy announcements and new research. Environmental policy across the UK and in Scotland will be the central focus for the day-to-day role, with opportunity to also work with colleagues around related international policy areas. 

You will help keep members informed by collating information and articles for our members HUB (our member communication platform) and by leading the publication of the SWA sustainability newsletter. Experience producing written briefings or articles, in your studies, a previous role or other activities would therefore be beneficial. 

As we are a small team, we all from time to time help each other out by supporting on tasks across different topics to help where need is the most. This helps the team and our members but also helps build wider understanding of the whisky industry. 

You will be given guidance and support from others in the team, increasing your autonomy on areas as you gain confidence and experience. An opportunity to lead on a topic or work areas developing your own expertise will be the aim for future development of the role, to support your own personal and career development. 

• Producing written or verbal briefings to support understanding within the SWA on environmental policy, research and industry activities  
• Collating and writing articles for the Sustainability Newsletter and the SWA’s member extranet, the HUB.  
• Support the development and delivery of the Association’s sustainability commitments, including on water stewardship, natural capital and climate change adaptation  
• Maintain and update CRM with contacts arising from your work  
• Maintain the SWA’s Bar code labelling system  

There is an option to work from our head office in Edinburgh or from our London office.