Agriculture, Health and Environment

Location:      Medway campus
Salary:      £50,132 to £58,089
Contract Type:      Permanent
Closing Date:      Wednesday 25 September 2019
Interview Date:      To be confirmed

Do you have what it takes to make an impact on global food and nutrition security? We are looking for exceptional candidates to help drive forward our work to improve the lives of poor people.

The Natural Resources Institute (NRI – https://www.nri.org/) of the University of Greenwich carries out specialised research, teaching, training and consultancy with a focus on food, agriculture, environment and sustainable livelihoods.

NRI is currently expanding its research excellence to address food and nutrition security, especially in Africa. This expansion is funded by UKRI’s Research England under the ‘Expanding Excellence in England’ scheme. Elements of this new investment include new staff, PhD studentships, infrastructure and partnerships (see www.nri.org/FanSI). Investment will be across four specific areas:

• Climate Change, Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Sustainable Agricultural Intensification
• Food Loss and Waste
• Food Systems for Improved Nutrition

NRI’s work is globally respected and has won many awards including a recent Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Further and Higher Education. The Institute is located at the University’s vibrant Medway Campus in Chatham Maritime, Kent.

NRI is looking to appoint an Associate Professor of Crop Physiology. An appointment may be made at the Senior level for a suitably qualified candidate. The focus on the role will be on high quality research with a possible contribution to teaching activities of up to 20%. There will also be opportunities to supervise postgraduate MPhil/PhD students.

This role will develop research on crop responses to abiotic and biotic stresses, particularly those affecting food (and nutrition) security in developing countries. Of particular relevance will be research on increasing crop resilience to climate change, soil degradation and increased incidence of pests and diseases. Research should be conducted in an inter-disciplinary approach collaborating with existing areas of expertise at NRI in chemical ecology, pest behaviour and agroecology.

If appointed at Associate Professor level, the post holder will be an authority and lead figure in the international academic community in crop physiology, and is expected to provide strategic leadership across the university in achieving a complex set of outcomes for research funders, academics, students and employers.

The candidate should have a proven record (appropriate to the grade) of attracting external research and other grants and the ability to add value to the NRI’s Food and Nutrition Security Initiative (FaNSI).

The post holder is expected to have, and maintain strong stakeholder relationships at regional, national and international levels, across his/her research disciplines and a strong record of publication at the highest level. It is anticipated that work will focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Previous experience in this region would be an advantage. International travel is an expectation of this role

For informal enquiries, please contact the Programme Leader (Professor Jeremy Haggar (J.P.Haggar@gre.ac.uk) or the Head of Department (Professor Richard Hopkins (R.J.Hopkins@gre.ac.uk)).

We aim to be an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.