Research Associate - Edinburgh, United Kingdom - Heriot-Watt University Malaysia

Description

Grade and Salary: G7 (£36,023-£44,263 - pro rata)

FTE and working pattern: 0.2, FTC

We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic candidate to help deliver research in the area of disaster risk management and adaptation to climate change. The successful candidate will be employed for a period of 12 months, at 0.2 FTE, and will be required to assist the project lead Professor Harry Smith to fulfil the research obligations of a project entitled 'IAA2022-Technical support for implementation of Medellin's Comuna 8 (C8) integrated disaster risk management and climate change adaptation plan'. The research is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Impact Acceleration Account.

Job Description

The project aims to support the roll out of activities that contribute to the implementation of the integrated disaster risk management and climate change adaptation plan for Comuna 8, Medellín, in Colombia, through providing additional engineering-related inputs to the process. The project will systematise lessons from various early warning systems and mitigation interventions that have already been piloted in Medellín, to provide a knowledge base for neighbourhoods implementing the plan for C8. It will support the implementation of low-cost land retention and stabilisation measures including Nature-Based Solutions in four pilot neighbourhoods, taking account of local soil properties, ground profile, topography and projected climate change-related variations in the rainfall regime, as a demonstration project for uptake across C8. And it will support the replication and upscaling of community-based water management, harvesting and treatment that has been piloted in one C8 neighbourhood, as part of an integrated approach to climate change adaptation.

This role provides a unique opportunity for a promising researcher to join academics and researchers engaged in leading and influencing disaster risk management and climate change adaptation related policy. The successful candidate will be responsible for supporting the overall management of the work programme, production of outputs (reports and lay-person booklets/leaflets), and webpage design and maintenance. The role will require engagement with external stakeholders and partners in order to deliver co-designed interventions to support disaster risk management and climate change adaptation in Medellín, Colombia.

The successful candidate will have a PhD in a discipline relevant to disaster risk management, climate change adaptation and/or nature-based solutions (or be close to completion). The appointee must have experience of conducting qualitative research, and must be able to work with a Spanish-speaking team and engage with a range of stakeholders and written material in Spanish. Experience of working with Global South contexts would be an advantage. The post offers a great opportunity to work with a wide range of stakeholders in the delivery of research that will have real impact on the implementation of disaster risk management and climate change adaptation in vulnerable communities in Colombia.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The successful appointee will be expected to undertake the following:

• Work closely with the PI, research team and partner organisations to plan and deliver on the research objectives.
• Support coordination from the UK of the research project activities in Colombia, which include desktop review, interviews and workshops.
• Support the analysis and write-up of qualitative data including interim reports.
• Review and synthesise available research and policy literature relevant to the project.
• Build and maintain relationships with partners and stakeholders.
• Support the production of reports and booklets/leaflets for decision-makers and communities, and maintain the project webpage.
• Support (with the academic lead) the writing up of published outputs including journal articles.

Please note that this job description is not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake other relevant duties commensurate with the grading of the post. Activities may be subject to amendment over time as the role develops and/or priorities and requirements evolve. A flexible working schedule may be required to meet all key duties and responsibilities. The post may be held remotely from within the UK.

We will assess applicants based on the essential criteria, not by the key duties.

Person Specification

Education, Qualifications and Experience (i.e. Person Specification)

Essential

Qualifications

• PhD in relevant discipline (or close to successful completion)

Experience

• Experience of undertaking literature reviews and critically analysing journal papers, policy literature, and case study material
• Demonstrable capacity to coordinate the conduct of qualitative research methods, including interviews, focus groups and workshops
• Experience of clearly and effectively interpreting, explaining, presenting and communicating the results of qualitative data analysis
• Experience or desire to work with those from other disciplines
• Evidence of a developing publication record

Competencies, Skills and Knowledge

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with people from a wide range of backgrounds
• Evidence of excellent administrative and project management skills
• Excellent time management skills including the ability to prioritise workload
• Evidence of self-motivation and the ability to work independently
• Evidence of excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to adapt style to suit academic, expert and general audiences
• Proficiency in use of Spanish in a working environment (oral and written)

Desirable:

• Familiarity with research literature on disaster risk management, climate change, nature-based solutions or peri-urban areas in the Global South
• Experience of working at the interface between academia, low-income communities and government agencies
• Experience of working with low-income communities and wider stakeholders in developing and communicating research findings

How to Apply:

Applications can be submitted until midnight on 8th April 2024.

Interviews will take place w/c 15th April 2024

Applications should include a CV and Covering Letter detailing how you meet the essential and desirable criteria.

Candidates can make informal enquiries about this position to Prof Harry Smith:

Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and leading-edge, relevant research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for innovation, business and industry. The School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society is one of the UK's leading institutions for multidisciplinary research and teaching in areas critical to economic development and societal equity. We aim to attain excellence in the teaching of the core disciplines that contribute to a sustainable, resource and energy efficient society and are committed to undertaking high value, high impact research and knowledge transfer in topics of relevance to global challenges. The School is one of the leading research centres in the UK. It has sustained a high reputation for the international standing of its research over two decades. Research within the School is organised into six Institutes:

• Institute of Life and Earth Sciences (ILES)
• The Urban Institute (TUI)
• Institute of Geoenergy Engineering (IGE)
• Institute for Infrastructure and Environment (IIE)
• Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Design (CESBD)
• Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE)

The Urban Institute (TUI) was established in 2016 to generate and share through research and teaching, knowledge that contributes to creating sustainable, resilient and just cities. Its staff have expertise in a range of social science disciplines including geography, urban studies, real estate economics, and environmental psychology, with research conducted under four broad themes: housing systems and real estate; planning, infrastructure and urban design; urban inequalities and poverty; and health and wellbeing. TUI's innovative and cross-cutting research in the field of urban studies is supported by a range of funders including ESRC, EPSRC, British Academy, charitable organisations, and government agencies. The institute places significant importance on societal impact, working closely with policymakers and practitioners to deliver positive change. TUI's research has an international focus, including UKRI research being conducted in the Global South. TUI has a lively postgraduate research student community and a focus on developing early career academics through mentoring and personal development.

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Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

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