Post-Doctoral Researcher – Future Sustainability Research Group

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral research position at University College Cork. The candidate will contribute to the “Environmental Intelligence” research project led by Dr Marguerite Nyhan. This focuses on advancing the science and technology underpinning sustainable, healthy and liveable cities of the future. This frontier research project will employ sensing technologies, largescale Information Communications Technologies (ICT) datasets, artificial intelligence, machine learning and statistical methods to quantify urban environmental metrics (e.g. air pollution and greenspace) and urban dynamics in unprecedented accuracy and scale in a number of case study cities. The project will then investigate human-environment interactions and analyse associations between urban environmental exposures and health impacts to inform urban design and environmental health policies. Dr Marguerite Nyhan is an Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer in Environmental Engineering & Future Sustainability in the School of Engineering & Architecture at University College Cork (UCC). This research is funded by Science Foundation Ireland.

Post Duration: until July 2025
 
Salary: €41,207 – €47,477 p.a. (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 Marguerite Nyhan, Senior Lecturer in Future Sustainability & Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering & Architecture and Environmental Research Institute, Email: ei.ccu@nahyn.etireugram.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

This title will apply to newly qualified Post-Doctoral Researchers and will be considered as a period of training as the researcher will have dual goals in terms of the research project and their own career development. The researcher will be mentored by a Principal Investigator (PI). It is expected that a researcher would spend not more than 3 years at the Post Doctoral level, subject to the term of the project and would then be eligible to compete for a Senior Post Doctoral post advertised by the University.

The primary focus of the Postdoctoral Researcher will be research however a particular emphasis during this stage should include;

  • To conduct a specified programme of research under the supervision and direction of a Principal Investigator/Project Leader.
  • To engage in appropriate training and professional development opportunities as required by the Principal Investigator, School or College in order to develop research skills and competencies.
  • To gain experience in grant writing.
  • To engage in the dissemination of the results of the research in which they are engaged, as directed by, with the support of and under the supervision of a Principal Investigator.
  • To become familiar with the publication process.
  • To acquire generic and transferable skills (including project management, business skills and postgraduate mentoring/supervision).
  • To engage in the wider research and scholarly activities of the research group, School or College.
  • To interact closely with postgraduate research students who are studying for a Masters or a PhD and possibly have an agreed role in supporting these students in their day to day research in conjunction with an academic supervisor.
  • To carry out administrative work to support the programme of research.
  • To carry out additional duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.
  • To contribute to costing research grant proposals and assist in the financial management of a research project.

Selection Criteria

The successful candidate will be expected to have:

  • A PhD qualification.
  • Appropriate research experience.
  • Appropriate technical competence and accomplishment.
  • A capability of working within a project team to achieve results.
  • Good communication, organisation and interpersonal skills.
  • A commitment to gaining practical experience working on a research project.
  • Ability to work well within a team

The Future Sustainability Research Group

The Future Sustainability Research Group investigates and develops intelligent solutions for sustainable, net zero, healthy, liveable and equitable cities of the future. Led by Dr Marguerite Nyhan, the group employs state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies from a number of disciplines including engineering, computer science, urban planning, public health and sociology to achieve its vision. The Future Sustainability Research Group sits within the School of Engineering & Architecture, the MaREI Centre and the Environmental Research Institute at UCC.
 
As the challenges of urbanisation, environmental degradation and climate change are complex and multi-faceted, the Future Sustainability Research Group recognises that pathways towards a sustainable future will only be achieved by successfully harnessing emerging technologies including data analytics and artificial intelligence; by embracing complexity; by fostering a systems thinking approach and by engaging with people, policymakers and government. Its research falls under the themes of ‘Intelligent & Technology-Driven Solutions for Sustainable Future Cities’ and ‘Technology, Policy & Society’. 
 
See www.nyhanlab.org for more details.
 

MaREI

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 an SFI funded research centre headquartered in the ERI and includes 13 other Universities and Third Level Institutes from 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, Marine Institute, DCCAE and IRC, as well as through contributions from 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.

Closing date for receipt of applications is 12 noon (Irish Local Time) on Friday, 27 January 2023.

CVs and handwritten forms will not be accepted.