Salary: £33,309-£36,383 with 33 days of annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days at Christmas and Easter.

Open-ended with fixed funding until 31 December 2024, full time but open to some part time and flexible working.

Job Ref. 2009

Job Summary

We seek a Research Associate to join the project “Sources, Sinks and Sustainable Solutions for Impacts of Plastic on Coastal Communities in Vietnam”. This GCRF funded £2.8m project will work closely with partners in Vietnam. We’re hiring four postdocs; this one will be for someone interested in taking on a leadership and project management role with a focus on interdisciplinary research. You will have a proven track record of multidisciplinary research with a core background maybe in marine science, microplastics research or community based social sciences. The role involves significant project operations management and fieldwork effort, requiring independent working, organisational and communication skills, and solution-seeking, including in complicated and partly remote environments. We encourage disclosure of special needs to enable us to make reasonable adjustments to support you. You will work effectively as part of a larger team including other PDRAs, technicians, and PhD researchers.

Further details at https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/research/global/lyell-centre/impacts-plastics-vietnam.htm

The contract will be open-ended but with fixed funding until 31 December 2024. Hours will be 35/week but with flexibility due to fieldwork. We support hybrid working as the project needs allow.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

The successful appointee will be expected to undertake the following:

  • Conduct interdisciplinary research including: oceanography/hydrography, microplastics research, community engagement, policy analysis, citizen science.
  • Ensuring effective reporting and operations of the project, generating team culture and ethic, mentoring fellow project postdocs and PhD.
  • General tasks- scientific research, analysis and interpretation of data.
  • Communication with other investigators; preparation of scientific papers; presentation at conferences.
  • Conduct and lead experiments/fieldwork whilst supervising activities of junior group members and PhD students.
  • Assistance in the day-to-day, liaising with other postdocs and external collaborators involved.
  • Involvement in our outreach activities, with roles that can be tuned to the specific preferences of the candidate but will involve for example interviews, talks for the general public and preparation of experimental demonstrations.
  • The successful candidate will need to have an excellent command of written and verbal English for effective communication and close cooperation and coordination of the project team.

You will have a PhD in a relevant area of social science, community engagement, policy analysis, plastics pollution, environmental microbiology or molecular biology; theoretical understanding and experimental or field experience in area of specialism; appropriate publication record for career stage; evidence of working independently, problem-solving, flexibility, articulating research work – written and verbal, project and grant management with multiple stakeholders.

For all criteria and further details on the post, the project and how to apply, follow the link.

Contact for enquiries: Michel Kaiser M.Kaiser@hw.ac.uk or for non-science questions Fenella.Watson@hw.ac.uk

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.

Closing date: April 26

Webpage link

https://enzj.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX/job/2009/?utm_medium=jobshare