Salary
The starting salary will be from £42,632 on Grade F, depending on qualifications and experience.
Contractual hours
36.5
Package
Generous holiday allowances, flexible working, pension scheme and relocation package (if applicable).
Job category/type
Research
Date posted
05/11/2024
Job reference
P99843
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy
This new full-time post is available immediately on a fixed-term basis for up to 12 months.
The post
The Joint Centre of Excellence in Environmental Intelligence (JCEEI) wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Fellow (JCEEI Research Fellow) to work on data science and AI-related projects. The JCEEI (https://jceei.org/) is a collaborative research centre operated jointly by the University of Exeter and the Met Office. The JCEEI Research Fellow will join a small team of researchers that work across a variety of projects and activities within the JCEEI, spending time at both University of Exeter (Streatham campus) and Met Office (Exeter office). Projects will all involve the application of data science and AI to environmental challenges, but will vary over time; our JCEEI Research Fellows typically work on one or two projects simultaneously, with each project lasting a few months. This role will offer opportunities for academic publications as well as the chance for real-world impact. The role will suit a data scientist or similar researcher with experience of working in an interdisciplinary research context. Expertise in environmental data science or related areas is beneficial but not essential.
Main purpose of the job:
The JCEEI Research Fellow will provide expertise in data science and/or AI techniques within the JCEEI. They will apply and demonstrate skills such as data analysis, statistics, programming, data visualisation, text/image analysis, and machine learning. They will take responsibility for a number of projects that might include working with external partners or with researchers at University of Exeter and Met Office. Current projects include working with an insurance company to estimate the property risk associated with climate change; developing a “climate chatbot” that uses large language models to create natural language interfaces into climate science reports; developing geospatial foundation models for marine applications; using computer vision to identify atmospheric rotors from satellite imagery. Alongside working on projects allocated by the JCEEI Co-Directors, the JCEEI Research Fellow will be allocated time to develop their own research activity related to the JCEEI aims and to publish academic papers in relevant journals.
About you
The successful applicant will be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals; identify sources of research funding and contribute to the process of securing funds and make presentations at conferences and other events.
Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study (e.g., data sciences, AI, machine learning, statistics). The successful applicant will be a nationally recognised authority and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required. Applicants will also be:
* motivated to solve problems related to the environment and sustainability.
* Possess in-depth understanding of this specialism to enable the development of new knowledge and understanding within the field.
* Show evidence of the ability to collaborate actively in an interdisciplinary context and to work with partners to complete research projects and advance thinking.
* Develop new concepts and ideas to extend intellectual understanding.
Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.
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 Fertility Treatment Policy;
* A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon.
The University of Exeter
We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.
Our world-leading research impact has grown more than any other Russell Group university in recent years, and we are home to some of the world’s most influential researchers, seeking to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today. More than 99 percent of our research is of international quality and 47 percent is world-leading (2021 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. Read about our world-leading research – Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast-growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City.
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment
We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.
Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.
With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.
We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.
Further information
For further information please contact Prof Hywel Williams, e-mail: h.t.p.williams@exeter.ac.uk.
We welcome applications from candidates interested in working part-time hours or job-sharing arrangements.
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