Faculty or Department: School of Water, Energy and Environment
Based at: Cranfield Campus, Cranfield, Bedfordshire
Hours of work: 37 hours per week, normally worked Monday to Friday. Flexible working will be considered.
Contract type: Fixed term contract
Fixed Term Period: 31 July 2026
Salary: Research Assistant (if Masters obtained) £28,203 per annum to £32,039 per annum, dependent on skills and experience Research Assistant (if close to completing PhD) £34,450 per annum Research Fellow (if PhD obtained) £37,337 to £40,347 per annum, dependent on skills and experience
Apply by: 25/09/2024

Role Description

This role is an integral part of the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship work programme on ‘Reframing non-CO2 climate mitigation approaches to limit global warming.’ This aims to transform thinking on how we evaluate the impacts of non-CO2 mitigation to reflect its role in limiting global warming under the Paris Agreement targets. You will carry out research to further develop existing simplified methodologies (e.g. simple climate models or emulators, or climate emission metrics such as GWP*) to better represent the climate system’s response to short lived pollutants, for example methane, or non-CO2 impacts from aviation. You will work in a growing team alongside other research fellows on this programme of work. You will collaborate with researchers at other institutes, including Oxford Net Zero at the University of Oxford.

About the Role

This role is for a Research Fellow (or Research Assistant) on non-CO2 climate mitigation, and will require strong quantitative skills. The Research Fellow or Assistant will develop methods and tools to accurately represent the consequences of mitigating non-CO2 climate forcings on levels of global warming. This role will involve computer modelling and development, and co-development of software tools with software specialists. It will involve working closely with a team in Cranfield, and may involve a 1 month research trip to Japan to work with collaborators on model development. 

About You

You will be a self-motivated individual with an active interest in driving forward evidence-driven decision making through the development of fit-for-purpose quantitative tools. You will be capable of using and developing mathematical models of the climate system, and have an ability to probem-solve. While this position is aimed at post-doctoral researchers, those close to completion of their PhDs, or with a highly relevant Masters-level qualification, will be considered for a Research Assistant level position. You will have experience in a relevant area such as computer modelling and development, climate science, or statistical methods. You will have excellent communication skills, and be confident to work both independently and as part of a team.

About Us

As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here.

The focus of Cranfield Environment Centre is to transform the science of environmental solutions through a systems approach, spanning sensor and measurement technology, systems modelling, environmental informatics, data and decision science. The Centre covers research on air quality and climate change, soil quality, crop growth and monitoring, natural capital, resilience ecosystems goods and services.

Our Values and Commitments

Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here.

We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer and proud members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families. Find out more about our key commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Flexible Working here, including a monitoring report and information about our staff networks that champion and support different groups.

Working Arrangements

Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on-site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.

How to apply

For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Dr Michelle Cain, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Data Analytics and UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, on (E): michelle.cain@cranfield.ac.uk

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details on E: hrrecruitment@cranfield.ac.uk. Please quote reference number 4906.

Closing date for receipt of applications: 25 September 2024