Clean Air Impact Fellow - School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences - 97320 - Grade 7

Position Details

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £31,406 to £40,927, with potential progression once in post to£43,434
Grade 7
Full Time/FTC for up to 2 years
Closing date – 10th October 2021

Interviews are provisionally scheduled for the afternoon of 27th October 2021 and will be held remotely via Zoom.

Background

Are you interested in translating science into practice? This new role provides an opportunity to work on urban air quality that will make a real difference, delivering a portfolio of real-world projects and applications with external stakeholders such as the NHS, local authority and charity organisations authorities, to deliver measureable air quality/health related impact, in environmental, societal, economic or policy terms.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, innovative and self-motivated individual, with excellent communication and organisational skills to join the NERC-funded project WM-Air: Clean Air Science for the West Midlands (https://wm-air.org.uk/).  WM-Air is a 5-year programme to apply existing environmental, health and economic science expertise to improve air quality and health across the West Midlands.  The project supports a portfolio of case studies, working in collaboration with external stakeholders ranging from local authorities to SMEs.  We are looking for an Impact Fellow to work alongside our existing team, with a particular focus on the health benefits of different clean air scenarios.

You will have the ability to exploit the WM-Air and wider University of Birmingham science expertise, and apply and communicate this with external organisations in the context of their interests.  You will not be an expert in all areas of air quality / health – but will be able to effectively draw upon and leverage the expertise in the wider WM-Air team and translate this to partner interests.  The role will span technical, scientific aspects, to providing strategic/policy advice across the region.

Summary of Role

Working within the scope of the objectives and decisions determined by WM-Air Project Board, the Impact Fellow will be responsible for delivering regional impact through a portfolio of projects and applications - both existing and to be established - with external stakeholders to deliver measureable air quality/health related impact, in environmental, societal, economic or policy terms.

Main Duties

The successful candidate will work with the WM-Air team and external stakeholders to translate science into measurable real world impact (i.e. to inform relevant strategies, decisions, plans and activities). The role will comprise a portfolio of case-studies applying clean air and health science with external partners, for example, improving the environmental sustainability of NHS healthcare delivery.  The Impact Fellow will work under the overall direction of William Bloss (WM-Air PI) and the WM-Air project manager, with project-specific direction coming from individual PIs for specific case studies, alongside external partners.  

Specific duties  / responsibilities include the following:
•    Work on a range of WM-Air case study projects, drawing upon technical support and expertise from the wider WM-Air team.  Existing expertise within the team spans air quality monitoring, emissions measurement, air quality modelling and economic impacts; the fellow will complement these strengths with a particular focus upon health impacts.
•    Develop and maintain existing and new stakeholder relationships.
•    Work closely with external partners to understand their needs and work to identify, prioritise and lead mutually-beneficial collaborative activities that fall within the remit of WM-Air, in order to deliver impact and maximise project output. 
•    In consultation with the principal investigator and/or strand leads as appropriate, decide on the most appropriate way of undertaking specified activities.
•    Develop, deliver and evaluate air quality-related impact activities, projects and case studies.
•    Inform reviews / commentary on external (e.g. consultant) strategies in the Air Quality and Public Health service area.
•    Disseminate and translate knowledge in a way that external stakeholders, policy makers and general public can understand.
•    Prepare reports, publications, and other dissemination materials as required.
•    Present impact outcomes to national and international audiences.

The responsibilities may also include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below:
•    Contribute to writing bids for research funding
•    Undertake management/administration arising from the project
•    Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
•    Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the project
•    Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of objectives and deadlines

Person Specification

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience: 

•    Enthusiastic and innovative approach to air quality related work
•    Relevant air quality / applied health science expertise – typically a higher academic qualification and/or equivalent professional experience
•    An appreciation of the current air quality / public health landscape in the West Midlands
•    Ability to translate science into policy and application with measureable impact as required by external stakeholders and partners, and take initiative to identify new opportunities 
•    Excellent interpersonal skills, including very strong communication, explanation skills 
•    Able to develop good rapport with internal team members and external partners.
•    Able to manage own time and prioritise to meet deadlines, and to co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort.
•    Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively (including people, time, money and equipment).
•    An ability to generate and communicate technical and non-technical impact. 
•    An ability to disseminate the project deliverables at meetings, conferences and/or through reports and publications.
•    An understanding of, and an ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes.
 

For further information please contact Professor William Bloss, [email protected] or Dr Suzanne Bartington, [email protected].

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working