Job Summary
Duration:
Temporary Externally Funded Non Grant-in-Aid contract post, the indicative duration of which is 7 months, subject to contract. A panel may be formed from which future similar vacancies may be filled; such a panel will remain active for a maximum period of 12 months.
Basic Function
The Post Doc will work in the Agricultural Economics & Farm Surveys Department of the Rural Economy Development Programme which is located at Teagasc Athenry Campus in Co. Galway. The Post Doc will work closely with the WaterMARKE project Coordinator and socio-economic and behavioural psychology members of the multi-disciplinary WaterMARKE project team and Teagasc ASSAP (Agricultural Sustainability Support Advisory Programme) staff to examine factors that hinder or promote the adoption of water quality improvement measures. Using this information, the Post Doc will assist in the development of Knowledge Exchange tools to assist policy makers and advisers in the design and implementation of water quality improvement measures.
For more information on the above please see below useful links:
www.teagasc.ie/watermarke
https://www.teagasc.ie/environment/water-quality/farming-for-water-quality-assap/
Background to the project
Water is a critical natural resource. Ensuring Ireland has water of good quality available across the country is essential from an economic and quality of life perspective. Our water is used for drinking, industry, energy generation and recreation. Water also is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. In Ireland all water policy and management is driven by the EU Water Framework Directive and led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Under this Directive, Ireland has been set a target of achieving ‘good status’ for all waters. Despite a lot of good work over the last 20-30 years, water quality in Ireland is falling short in achieving this target and water quality has remained mainly static. As a result, the Government has decided to adopt a new strategy, which involves a more collaborative approach to facilitate improvements in water quality.
Increasingly Ireland has to look at the impact of human activities on water quality on a global and local scale. Our activities can have a positive or negative influence. Activities impacting water quality are agriculture, hydro morphology (physical changes to waters), urban and domestic waste water, forestry, peat extraction, industry and roads. These factors impact water quality, putting increased strain on supplies and on Ireland’s ability to maintain and improve water quality.
The WaterMARKE project (Water – Mitigating Agricultural impacts through Research and Knowledge Exchange) connects the areas of biophysical science, socio-economics, behavioural psychology and implementation science. WaterMARKE develops a unique and novel framework that goes further than most research projects in that it crosses over between research and knowledge transfer to provide outputs that are valuable to the research communities in these areas, as well as producing a knowledge exchange template which tests and implements the learnings from the project. This project approaches the issue of water quality from the scientific, institutional, behavioural and Knowledge Exchange perspectives, examining questions that are relevant across the EU and at a wider global scale.
Job Objectives
Duties & Responsibilities specific to this project:
This post will involve working with a large dataset, cleaning and analysing the data, along with data presentation and dissemination of outputs through oral and written media.
The Post Doc will also have the opportunity to engage with sectoral stakeholders to develop synergies with other projects and to disseminate project outputs within the agri-food sector.
Additional Duties & Responsibilities:
To interpret research findings and prepare scientific and popular press publications.
To disseminate research findings to a variety of audiences as appropriate.
To assist Teagasc in meeting the commitments of the Quality Customer Service Charter and Action Plan.
To comply with all relevant Teagasc policies and procedures.
Fully co-operate with the provisions made for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of themselves, fellow staff and non-Teagasc staff and co-operate with management in enabling Teagasc to comply with legal obligations. This includes full compliance with the responsibilities outlined in the Safety Statement.
To actively participate in the Teagasc Post-Doctoral Fellowship programme and review processes, and to undertake all Post-Doctoral fellowship training and associated duties as agreed in the Training & Development Plan.
To take up additional duties as they may arise and be assigned by management.
Required Skills
Essential
PhD in economics, agricultural economics, agriculture or related discipline.
Knowledge of agri-environment/agricultural sustainability in general.
Relevant research experience not to exceed 3 years’ post-PhD.
Demonstrated research and technical expertise in data analysis and presentation.
Evidence of research activity (publications, conference presentations, awards) and future scholarly output (working papers, research proposals etc.).
Excellent project management, analytical, report writing and data analysis skills.
An ability to collaborate with team members and PhD students to help build research knowledge and skill and to guide professional development.
Excellent communication skills (oral, written, presentation) with an ability to enable effective knowledge and technology transfer.
Ability to generate new ideas, unique concepts, models and solutions.
Desirable
Knowledge of the issues impacting water quality in agricultural areas.
Interest in the dissemination and implementation of research.
Experience in setting own research agenda.
Evidence of teamwork and collaboration with relevant partners.