Postdoctoral Research Fellow

This full-time position is available immediately on a fixed-term basis until 9 August 2024 in the College of Life and Environmental Sciences. This role offers the opportunity for hybrid working – some time on campus and some from home.

The post
The College wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to participate in The Sustainable Development and Resilience of Coastal Communities in the UK project. This UKRI Strategic Priority Fund on Sustainable Management of UK Marine Resources funded post is available immediately on a fixed-term basis until 14 May 2024. The successful applicant will lead the research undertaken under work package two which examines responses to environmental, regulatory and socio-cultural change by resource users across marine sectors in the Southwest UK from the mid-20th to early 21st centuries, and how these responses affected resilience, wellbeing and environmental sustainability. This post will include a focus on understanding how the past informs communities’ existing value systems and on improving how these diverse values are integrated into natural and cultural heritage decision-making. The successful candidate will also input into work package one (contemporary responses) and three (future responses).

The post will include.

• Liaising closely with the Historic Environment Team at Cornwall Council.
• Planning and facilitating workshops with diverse marine stakeholders, including resource-users, industry, third sector, and government stakeholders.
• Collecting and analysing qualitative primary data through oral histories and workshops.
• Collating and analysing a database of available archive material in collaboration with a heritage expert on the team.
• Collating and analysing a database of available archive material in collaboration with a heritage expert on the team.
• Leading scientific publications and conference presentations.
• Leading and contributing to development of other project outputs including policy briefs, web content, presentations and project reports.
• Initiating stakeholder and public engagement activities to promote sharing and uptake of project outputs and enhancing research impact.
• Pro-actively engaging with the SMMR-Net and wider programme.

About you
Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study. The successful applicant will be a nationally recognised authority in marine/ environmental historical ecology or marine/environmental social science and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies. The successful applicant will be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals; identify sources of research funding and contribute to the process of securing funds and make presentations at conferences and other events. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required.

Specifically, applicants will be able to:

• Communicate effectively with stakeholders from fishers to national policy-makers.
• Provide theoretical and conceptual input into research on the relationships among social-ecological resilience, human well-being and environmental sustainability.
• Confidently collect and analyse qualitative and archival data.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification available on our website (accessed by the apply button) for full details of this role.

Further information
For further information please contact Dr Ruth Thurstan, e-mail [email protected] .

The closing date for completed applications is 5 June 2022. Interviews are expected to take place on 13 June 2022.