Applications are invited for the role of Post-Doctoral Researcher at MaREI / Environmental Research Institute.

 

MaREI is a key research centre within UCC’s Environmental Research Institute (ERI), which is an internationally recognised institute for environmental research dedicated to the understanding and protection of our natural environment and to developing innovative technologies, tools and services to facilitate a transformation to a zero carbon and resource efficient society. The MaREI Centre is a Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funded research centre headquartered in the ERI and includes 13 other Universities and Third Level Institutes across Ireland, has 50 industrial partners and has accumulated research funding of approximately €60m. It combines the expertise of a wide range of research groups and industry partners, with the shared mission of solving the main scientific, technical and socio-economic challenges across the climate, energy and marine spaces. MaREI is also funded by SEAI, EI, EPA, ERDF, EU, HEA, DECC and the Marine Institute, as well as through contributions by our industry partners. Researchers in the MaREI Centre have over 30 years of experience in conducting fundamental and applied research supported by competitively won national and international funding, and commercial contracts with government agencies and industry. MaREI’s strengths lie in the multi-disciplinary nature of its research teams, allowing it to combine insights across areas such as MRE Technologies, Materials & Structures, Observations & Operations, Coastal & Marine Systems, Bioenergy, Energy Policy & Modelling and Renewable Energy Management. This position is situated within the Coastal & Marine Systems (CMS) Research Area.

 

MaREI’s Marine and Coastal Governance Group forms the core of the Coastal and Marine Systems Research Area along with climate change adaptation; coastal dynamics and marine systems modelling; and marine ecology. This diversity of subject areas places the Centre at the forefront of marine and energy research in Ireland and in a prime position to investigate the proposed research area. Through promoting integrated approaches to coastal and marine management and planning, the Group aims to facilitate the sustainable development of key maritime sectors including, aquaculture, fisheries, tourism and renewable energy. This extends to identifying and addressing legal, policy, economic, environmental and social barriers to maritime spatial development, and use of resources. The Group’s research seeks to develop and promote best practices and, where applicable, ensure the transfer of these practices across sectors and jurisdictions. Researchers in the group strive to address emerging management and planning challenges linked to unpredictability, uncertainty and climate change. Effective planning and management requires up-to-date, authoritative and robust scientific data and information. Accordingly, the Group works closely with the other thematic areas in MaREI, such as Earth Observation and Marine Ecology, to fully harness multi-disciplinary perspectives and opportunities.

 

This project seeks to investigate and establish an Irish land-sea flooding and eutrophication research supersite. As such we are seeking a Post-Doctoral Researcher with experience in remote sensing and GIS utilising physical and socio-economic data deriving out of land and marine systems to conduct interdisciplinary research on River-Sea Systems, recognising the influence of land-sea interactions on coastal and ocean areas, with a specific focus on Cork Harbour. For this supersite, the driver behind the focus areas (complex flooding and eutrophication/nutrient flows) are two critical socio-economic challenges, maximising the impact of any research conducted and its dissemination potential. The project will necessitate an in-depth literature review of relevant work to date, a collation and analysis of pertinent physical and socio-economic data, and development of an inventory of data collections of use to Irish and overseas researchers deriving out of model, in-situ and satellite-derived sources, needed to underpin a consolidated supersite design and implementation strategy. Structured stakeholder engagement, comprising best practice facilitation, should be used to gather local and national buy-in for the supersite, any potential data gaps and options to address them with a view to ultimately providing a sold case for the inclusion of the supersite in future research infrastructure (River-Sea systems / Land-Sea Interactions) strategies at national and European levels (e.g. ESFRI).

 

This role provides the opportunity to join an exciting transdisciplinary team of researchers in MaREI, the Environmental Research Institute and wider UCC community. The candidate must have a minimum of three years demonstrated experience in acquiring and analysing vector spatial data and Earth Observation imagery. They should have relevant experience and knowledge in areas of socio-economic data, governance, participatory and co-design approaches, and experience of research initiatives at national and European scales. Candidates should have a track record in working in project-based environments, and preferably be familiar with the Irish and European funding landscape. They will be self-motivated with ability to conduct independent research to a very high level and will be expected to contribute to the development of new research proposals and publications. The successful candidate will have project management experience and experience of working with diverse teams including external actors.

 

Project Title: Irish Land – Sea Supersite (MaREI Coastal & Marine Systems)

 

Post Duration: 15 months

 

Salary: €44,347 - €50,805 per annum (IUA PD1 Salary Scale)

 

For an information package including further details of the post see https://ore.ucc.ie/

 

Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Dr Anne Marie O’Hagan, Senior Research Fellow, MaREI Centre, ERI, University College Cork. Email: a.ohagan@ucc.ie

 

Applications must be submitted online via the University College Cork vacancy portal (https://ore.ucc.ie/). Queries relating to the online application process should be referred to recruitment@ucc.ie, quoting the job-title and project name.

 

Candidates should apply, in confidence, before 12 noon (Irish Local Time) on Friday, 2nd of August, 2024