College of Life and Environmental Sciences
MISTRAL: Multi-sectoral approaches to Innovative Skills Training for Renewable energy & sociAL acceptance (Horizon 2020 Grant Agreement no 813837)
The post
The College wishes to recruit a full time Early Stage Researcher to support the work of Prof Patrick Devine-Wright as part of an EU H2020 Marie-Sklodowska Curie Innovative Training Network entitled MISTRAL (Multi-sectoral approaches to Innovative Skills Training for Renewable energy & sociAL acceptance). This 3 year funded post is available from 1st April 2019 or as soon as possible afterwards, until the 31st of March 2022 at our Exeter campus
MISTRAL (Multi-sectoral approaches to Innovative Skills Training for Renewable energy & sociAL acceptance) is a four year European Training Network funded by Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Innovative Training Network (ITN). The MISTRAL Network is made up of 7 beneficiaries from the UK, Ireland, Germany, Portugal,and Switzerland. For more information about the network, see: http://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/MISTRAL/
As an Early Stage Researcher (ERS), you will be an active member of a research project team assisting in the delivery of research and training activities of the MISTRAL Network, working on the specific topic of 'Social equity and distributive justice in renewable energy deployment' and required to work towards the expected results of this project.
The successful applicant will be supervised by Prof. Patrick Devine-Wright andProf. Jane Willis (both University of Exeter) and Dr.Brendan Murtagh (Queens University Belfast).
The post will address the lack of systematic assessment of the distributive justice of different mechanisms that have been proposed and implemented across European states to ensure that negative impacts do not fall disproportionately on the host communities who are directly impacted by large scale renewable energy projects, including benefit funds, subsidised electricity, and mandatory share offers. There is a particular interest in the engagement of low-income social groups and the ways in which'the local' is spatially defined and practised. The methodological approach will combine national policy analysis of institutional frameworks and regulations with in-depth local case studies, utilising spatial, qualitative and quantitative methods. The expected results will be of relevance to academics and for the generation of practical recommendations to policy makers and industry.
About you
The successful applicant will be able to present information on research progress and outcomes, communicate complex information,orally, in writing and electronically and prepare proposals and applications to external bodies.
Applicants will have or be about to obtain a 1st class or 2.1 Honours Degree (or equivalent experience) in human geography,environmental psychology, environmental sociology or related discipline. You will have knowledge and some experience of social science research techniques such as documentary analysis, interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaire surveys. You will have sufficient breadth or depth of specialist knowledge in available techniques for investigation of social acceptance of renewable energy in an inter-disciplinary context.
Applicants must be eligible to be appointed as an Early Stage Researcher in the UK under the EC Horizon 2020 Marie-Sklodowska Curie Action, Innovative Training Networks (ITN) Scheme. This is currently defined as at the time of recruitment, the candidate should:
Be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and have not been awarded a doctoral degree.
Not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the UKfor more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date.Short stays such as holidays are not taken into account.
Additionally, applicants must be willing and able to perform secondments or participate in training programs at the facilities or other consortium members such as Denmark, France, Germany,Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Switzerland and the UK.
To view the Job Description and Person Specification document please click here.
For further information please contact Prof Patrick Devine-Wright, e-mail p.g.devine-wright@ex.ac.uk or telephone (00 44) 01392 722298.
What we can offer you
Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research;
Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly
An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development
Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career
A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), Paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a new Fertility Treatment Policy
A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon.
The University of Exeter is a Russell Group university in the top 200 of universities worldwide. We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, and have achieved a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2017. We have over 22,000 students and 4600 staff from 180 different countries and have been rated the WhatUni2017 International Student Choice. Our research focuses on some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today, with 98% of our research rated as being of international quality in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework. We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students.
The starting salary will be on a spot salary in the range GBP 27,025 to GBP 30,395 per annum on Grade E subject to knowledge, skills and experience. In addition, allowances are payable inline with the Marie Curie Horizon 2020 requirements for Early Stage Researchers as follows: a Marie Curie allowance of GBP 7,077 per annum and a mobility allowance of GBP 5,221 per annum.
The University pay scale will be subject to a cost of living review each year, but you will not receive annual increments.
This role may be subject to additional background screening.
The closing date for applications is Tuesday 5th March with interviews likely to take place on Thursday 21st March 2019.
The University of Exeter is an equal opportunity employer and holds an institutional Athena SWAN Silver award. We are officially recognised as a Disability Confident employer and a Stonewall Diversity Champion. Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented in the workforce
