Postdoctoral Research Associate

Lancaster Environment Centre
Salary: £29,619 to £34,308
Closing Date: Friday 23 September 2022
Interview Date: Friday 07 October 2022
Reference: 0955-22

Post-Doctoral Research Associate

GCRF Living Deltas hub: Patterns and Drivers of Livelihood Shifts in River Deltas of South Asia

An exciting opportunity exists to work as part of a major research project exploring social and natural impacts facing three Asian river deltas. The UKRI GCRF Living Deltas project, launched in February 2019, will receive £15.3 million over five years to examine the cultural heritage and livelihood of delta communities (http://www.livingdeltas.org/).

The Hub is coordinated in Newcastle University by Prof Andy Large and has over 20 partners across the deltas regions of interest and beyond. Its core aim: a significant contribution to better sustainable development outcomes for developing countries in the region, transforming policy and practice based on new approaches to understanding delta change. The Hub will address the significant social-ecological challenges currently facing these delta systems in a transdisciplinary manner that responds to the interlinked agenda of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This post, based at Lancaster University, will work to generate a deeper understanding of the patterns and drivers of livelihood shifts, with specific focus on young entrepreneurs’ role in diversifying livelihoods. The researcher will use social science approaches (e.g. longitudinal research diary, daily activity rhythms, key incident interviews and dialogues) to understand dimensions of and changes to livelihoods practiced in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) delta within Bangladesh and its comparability/ contrast with GBM delta within India and Mekong and Red River Deltas of Vietnam.

A major element of the post will be to implement an already developed methodology to examine drivers and patterns of shifts and modularity in delta livelihoods. The researcher will document and analyse livelihood categories and instances/trajectories of shifts involving (with potential to involve) young entrepreneurs within the study communities, as well as contribute to the Hub’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) data repository. The findings and data will inform scientists, policy makers, development actors and local communities about risks and vulnerabilities of livelihoods to natural and social changes in the river deltas and ways to enhance livelihood-based resilience.

The successful candidate will hold a PhD in a relevant topic within the broad discipline of Environment and Development, and will have research expertise using social science methodologies (noted above) and as well as having experience of working in large international teams and on project management. The post holder will have experience and expertise in gathering, processing and analysing large amount of qualitative and quantitative data. S/he will be self-motivated, collaborative and hold strong communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work independently is also essential. Fluency in local language(s) spoken in the river deltas of interest (especially Bangla) is an important desirable criterion.

The post will be for 15 to 18 months (depending on the salary grade and availability of fund), starting from 1^st October 2022 or soon after. Informal inquiries may be directed to: Dr Manoj Roy (m.roy1@lancaster.ac.uk).