JOB DESCRIPTION
Grade and Salary: G7 (ÂŁ36,023-ÂŁ44,263 – 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 âIAA2022-Technical support for implementation of Medellinâs Comuna 8 (C8) integrated disaster risk management and climate change adaptation planâ. The research is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Impact Acceleration Account. The project aims to support the roll out of activities that contribute
Job Description
to the implementation of the integrated disaster risk management and climate change adaptation plan for Comuna 8, MedellĂn, 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 MedellĂn, 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 MedellĂn, 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: h.c.smith@hw.ac.uk
At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.
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.
Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.
Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .
We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.
Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.
- Job Identification: 3685
- Job Category: Research
- Posting Date: 03/21/2024, 06:31 PM
- Locations:Â Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, GB
- Apply Before: 04/09/2024, 12:59 AM
- Degree Level: Masters
- Job Schedule: Part time
