Application closing date: 31/05/2020
Salary: £26,715.00
Package: plus excellent benefits

Job description

We are currently looking for a Research Assistant to join our School of Applied Sciences on an 18-month full time contract. The successful candidate will contribute to a new research project ‘a thousand flowers will bloom’ funded by the International Development Research Centre of the Canadian Government.

The ‘Thousand Flowers Project’ will provide research and policy guidance on how to incorporate voluntary carbon credits and the voluntary carbon market in general into nationally determined contributions (NDC’s) to climate change. There will be a particular, but not exclusive, focus on Blue Carbon ecosystems in this work and one objective is to help incorporate lessons learnt into the project team’s own blue carbon initiatives. The project will consider how voluntary carbon offsets can make an ethically sound, politically effective and sustainable contribution towards the transition to a net zero carbon emissions world, in line with IPCC recommendations.

The project is being implemented by Edinburgh Napier University and the Plan Vivo Foundation in Scotland and the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute in Kenya. We are looking for a high calibre, self-motivated and experienced researcher with postgraduate expertise in relevant fields such as blue carbon and environmental policy, who will work with an international team on this high profile policy area.

With over 19,500 students and 1500 staff, Edinburgh Napier University is a leading, modern university with a reputation and impact that stretches far beyond our shores. We are an inclusive University with strong links to industry and are clear that it is our 'applied' focus that sets us apart. Our strategy is set around four key pillars of growing our academic reputation, delivering an excellent personalised student experience, internationalising our work, and building innovation, enterprise and citizenship. It is an exciting place to work with a clear growth agenda.

The role

A main responsibility will be conducting new research collecting perspectives and information from key stakeholders such as project developers, carbon credit accreditors and buyers. In addition, you will be helping in day to day running of the research project and in implementing operational findings into the current voluntary offset funded blue carbon projects. You will conduct literature searches, data analysis, report writing and preparation of papers for different audiences, including academics, the public and policy makers.

Who we are looking for

Educated at least to degree (and preferably to postgraduate) level, you will be able to demonstrate strong experience in research and the planning of research projects, ideally in the area of science/policy interface or blue carbon. You will have experience of the voluntary carbon market. You should be able to maintain consistently high standards of research, confidently able to assemble, sort, analyse and interpret project data, and to present it in an appropriate form. In addition, you will be a good team member, whilst also able to work on your own initiative. You will be expected to work mostly in Scotland but should be willing to travel, if necessary, for project meetings.

For a detailed list of the requirements, you can read the full role profile here.

Additional information

Application closing date: Sunday 31st May 2020 (23:59 GMT)
We hope to hold interviews on Monday 8th June 2020,

To ensure the safety of all involved and comply with social distancing, all interviews will be held over Skype for Business.

Informal enquiries about this position may be made to Mark Huxham - M.Huxham@napier.ac.uk

The University is committed to inclusion, demonstrated through our work in respect of our diversity awards and accreditations  and hold Disability Confident, Carer Positive and Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champion