SKA Mid - Environmental Specialist at NRF National Research Foundation

About the position

Postion Summary:
The SKA-Mid Environmental Specialist will form part of the SKA-Mid Site Management Team reporting to the SKA Mid Site Construction Director during Construction and the SKA-Mid Deputy Telescope Director during Operations. The SKA-Mid Environmental Specialist will be based at the SKA- Mid Science Operations Centre in Cape Town and will be required to visit the SKA-Mid site on a frequent basis. (The SKA- Mid Site is located approximately 85km outside the town of Carnarvon in the Northern Cape). The successful incumbent will primarily be responsible for the development, implementation, tracking and compliance of Environmental Management plans, reports, policies and procedures for all SKA- Mid premises.

Key Responsibilities:

• Developing and implementing a SKA-Mid Environmental Management Plan, policies and procedures for all SKA-Mid premises and ensuring organisational compliance to environmental legislation, policies, procedures and construction licences in South AfricaDeveloping Key Performance Indicators and track targets for Sustainability for all SKA-Mid Premises in line with United Nations Sustainability Goals and the SKA Values; implementing programmes associated with these KPIs and reporting SKA-Mid performance to the SKAO Global Sustainability Committee
• This includes water consumption and conservation, energy usage, waste management amongst others
• Monitoring & reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions for SKA-Mid in accordance with ISO14064 and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol as an input to the Global Observatory Greenhouse Gas Emission report
• Act as the SKA-Mid Sustainability Champion and gather inputs from staff to identify sustainability activities already underway, and new initiatives
• Monitoring host country delivery of the long-term Science Operations Centre, Science Processing Centre and Engineering Operations Centre in terms of Environment and Sustainability requirements included in the SKA Mid building user requirements
• Develop, implement, and update the Environmental Legal Register in compliance with the IEMP
• Develop the required documentation to establish an Environmental Management System (EMS) for SKA-Mid to obtain ISO14001 accreditation
• Ongoing implementation of the EMS to maintain ISO accreditation
• Monitor and report on measurable environmental impacts; Develop & implement ongoing environmental and sustainability awareness material and implement environmental and heritage training for SKA-Mid staff and contractors
• Provide monthly dashboard reports to the SKA-Mid Site Construction Director on environment, construction licence compliance and updates on achievement of Environment and Sustainability KPIsProviding monthly reports to SARAO in terms of compliance to the SKA- Mid Integrated Environmental Management Plan and construction licencesProvide leadership, support and guidance to the SKA-Mid Site Environmental Officer and SKA-Mid Site Management Team and coordinate activities with the SKA- Mid Health and Safety Manager and ensure contractor compliance to their EMPrs and the SKA-Mid Integrated Environmental Management Plan and construction licences
• External and Internal Coordination and Interface Management

Minimum Qualification:

• Bachelors Degree / Advanced Diploma / NQF 7

Minimum Experience:

• 5-7 years

• A recognised Master’s Degree in Environmental Science or Environmental Management in a similar role with a minimum of 5 years construction experience; orA recognised Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science or Environmental Management in a similar role with a minimum of 7 years construction experienceRegistration with a legally recognised professional registration organisation such as the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP) or the Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (EAPASA)

Experience:

• Proven knowledge and experience of National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and regulations;Proven knowledge of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act;Proven knowledge and experience of environmental aspect Hazard Identification and Risk Management Processes;Proven knowledge in developing Key Performance Indicators for the Environment and SustainabilitySound knowledge of environmental incident investigation processes and their causation phenomena;Knowledge and experience in the development and/or implementation of environmental management systems;Knowledge and experience of environmental auditing as per ISO 14001 standards; Environmental Auditing and inspection training;Experience in building strong people relationships, general management practices and experience in managing and leading contractor environmental teams;Extensive knowledge and interpretation of HSE Management Systems, procedures and policies including document control;Valid driver's licence;Ability and willingness to travel to the SKA Mid Site in the Karoo on a frequent basis

Knowledge:

• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills;A flexible team player who is adaptable to change;An effective communicator in both English and Afrikaans (Verbal and written)Familiarity with the formalism for, and requirements of, quality control environments such as ISO[Phone Number Removed]; and 45001;Knowledge of UN Sustainability Goals and ISO14064 and the Greenhouse Gas ProtocolKnowledge of the South African construction industry legislation and regulations
• Environment, (Health and Safety), Construction;Proven track record in working with contractors on construction sites;Environmental Risk Management;Quality Management

Additional Notes:
Skills:Development and tracking of Key Performance Indicators for the Environment and Sustainability Inspections, Audits, excellent reporting writing skills, use of software platformsRelated Skills:Solve problems and resolve conflictProvide solutions that are practical and pragmaticAbility to operate alone and within a team under pressureSelf-motivating with a positive attitudeAbility to learn new software packages used during constructionOrganisational Values:The SKA-Mid Environment Specialist will be expected to demonstrate the SARAO and SKAO’s values, and to work actively to instil those behaviours in all SKA-Mid staff in South [URL Removed] values are:Diversity and Inclusion ExcellenceCollaborationCreativity and InnovationSustainabilitySARAO’s values are:Passion for ExcellenceWorld-class servicePeople-centeredRespectIntegrity and EthicsAccountabilityBoth SARAO and SKAO value and respect difference and are committed to building an inclusive culture by creating an environment where you can balance a successful career with your commitments and interests outside of work. We believe that you will do your best at work if you have a work / life balance. Some roles lend themselves to flexible options more than others, so if this is important to you, please raise this during your interview, as we are open to discussing flexible working opportunities during the hiring [URL Removed] NRF website provides more details on the initiatives and activities Applicants should submit a comprehensive CV by registering and apply online through the NRF Recruitment and Selection Portal. Applications should be accompanied by a letter of motivation indicating the applicant·s suitability for the position. The names and contact details of at least three referees should be provided.

Desired Skills:

• Skilled in applied field of position
• Knowledge to be relevant
• Responsible in performing duties

About The Employer:

The National Research Foundation (NRF) (wwww.nrf.ac.za) supports and promotes research and human capital development through funding, the provision of National Research Facilities and science outreach platforms and programmes to the broader community in all fields of science and technology, including natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities. The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) (www.sarao.ac.za) spearheads South Africa's activities in the Square Kilometre Array Radio Telescope, commonly known as the SKA, in engineering, science and construction. SARAO is a National Facility managed by the National Research Foundation and incorporates radio astronomy instruments and programmes such as the MeerKAT in the Karoo, the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) in Gauteng, the African Very Long Baseline Interferometry (AVN) programme in nine African countries as well as the associated human capital development and commercialisation endeavours. The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) (www.skao.int) is a next-generation global radio-astronomy facility that will revolutionise our understanding of the Universe and the laws of fundamental physics. It is one observatory with two telescopes – SKA-Mid in South Africa and SKA-Low in Western Australia. South Africa is a co-host member of the SKAO, an intergovernmental organisation headquartered at Jodrell Bank (near Manchester in the United Kingdom) responsible for SKAO construction and operations globally.