Postdoctoral Research Associate (system dynamics modelling)

King's College London; London; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

King's College London seeks a PDRA for the JPP4JL project focusing on nature-based solutions to climate change adaptation. The role requires developing system dynamics models and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team across leading institutions. Ideal candidates will possess a PhD in Environmental Modelling and have strong coding skills in R or python.

Qualifications

• PhD qualified in Environmental Modelling, Land Use modelling or relevant field.
• Proven ability to write code in R or python.
• Knowledge of climate change and climate adaptation.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to system dynamics modelling of Nature-Based Solutions in the UK.
• Develop coupled sub-models within a system dynamics framework.
• Engage with stakeholders for practical application of research findings.

Skills

Environmental Modelling

Land Use modelling

Coding in R or Python

Knowledge of climate change

Team collaboration

Effective communication

Education

PhD in Environmental Modelling or related field

Job description

About us

The Department of Geography is a vibrant community of students, teachers and researchers. Our holistic approach encompasses both human and physical geography perspectives on global challenges and pressing environmental, geopolitical, urban and rural issues. Our research findings contribute to public debates and policy development at national and international scales, making important contributions to work in climate change, disasters, smart cities, risk regulation, water, human migration and land surface processes related to for example agriculture, forests and landscape fire. We are also deeply committed to tackling pressing matters of social justice around the world. We undertake field research in over 95 countries across seven continents. Meanwhile, using London and its surroundings as a laboratory, our students and staff study the regions migration, transport, housing, displacement, air and water quality, and health.

About the role

Joined up policy and practice for joined up landscapes (JPP4JL) is a Maximising UK adaptation to climate change research project, co-led by Dr Christian Reynolds and Dr Christopher Yap at the Centre for Food Policy, City St George's, University of London, with collaborators at King's College London; Birkbeck; Brunel University London; Harper Adams University; and the Universities of Reading, York and Cambridge.

JPP4JL partners with WRAP and their Water Roadmap collective action projects (Southeast Rivers Trust and the Wye and Usk Foundation), and the North Essex Farm Cluster. Methods include Rapid Evidence and Qualitative Assessment; participatory and grounded place-based workshops; and System Dynamics Modelling, to understand how to maximise the contribution of Nature Based Solutions to climate change adaptation in the UK through multifunctional landscapes in the medium to long term

The PDRA will contribute to Work Package 4 of the "Joined up policy and practice for joined up landscapes" (JPP4JL) project, which focuses on the system dynamics modelling of Nature-Based solutions (NBS) in the UK context. This role involves developing a system dynamics model of NBS in relation to the UK food system.

The successful candidate will work closely with project partners to develop coupled sub-models within a system dynamics framework. Working with colleagues from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, the candidate will build a behavioural sub-model using the CRAFTY GB model, a spatially-explicit agent-based model of land use change in Great Britain*.* This will be coupled with a system dynamics model of macro-scale drivers of land system change. Working with colleagues from the MET office, the candidate will use outputs from the JULES land surface model to run model experiments that test NBS adaptation potential under different climate change scenarios. For example, the potential for NBS to address agricultural drought or flood risk.

The successful candidate will generate a front-facing app to test with policy and practice stakeholder, and conduct webinars for knowledge exchange

The successful candidate will work closely with the KCL Co-I, Dr Katie Manning, and with the multidisciplinary team of researchers from the Centre for Food Policy at City St George's, University of London, and collaborating institutions including Birkbeck, Brunel University London, Harper Adams University, and the Universities of Reading, York, and Cambridge. The Research Fellow will also engage with project partners such as WRAP, the Southeast Rivers Trust, the Wye and Usk Foundation, and the North Essex Farm Cluster to ensure the practical application of research findings

This is a full time post, and you will be offered an 18 month fixed term contract.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. PhD qualified in Environmental Modelling, Land Use modelling or another relevant field, with clear skills highly complementary to those of the JPP4JL research team
2. Proven ability to write code in R or python
3. Knowledge of and familiarity of climate change and climate adaptation
4. Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
5. Effective written and verbal communication skills
6. An interest in outreach across policy and civil society and making computation methods accessible.

Desirable criteria

1. Experience with independent system dynamic modelling (e.g. not using software such as Vensim)
2. Experience of working with multiple stakeholders in complex systems.
3. Experience in large scale simulations
4. Experience in Bayesian methods
5. Experience using CRAFTY agent based model

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

Further information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's.

As part of this commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process, it is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ' How we Recruit ' pages.