Post-Doctoral Researcher/Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher – SELFS

Inadequate climate mitigation efforts will lead to a global overshoot of the 1.5C temperature target. To preserve the Paris Agreement commitments, countries will need to go beyond “net-zero”, into a state where carbon is being drawn down from the atmosphere. “Carbon drawdown” with require profound changes in energy, land and food systems. The SELFS (Sustainable integrated pathways for carbon-negative energy, land and food systems) project, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, will develop a new national-level integrated assessment model of energy-land-food systems to explore these possible divergent futures, focussing on Ireland, and draw insights for long-term climate policy.
 
We are seeking a Post-doctoral or Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher to take a leading role in SELFS. The researcher will join Prof. Hannah Daly’s research team within the Energy Policy and Modelling Group (EPMG), at MaREI and the Environmental Research Institute in University College Cork.
 
Post Duration: 36 months
 
Salary: Post-Doctoral Researcher: €42,031 – €48,427 p.a. (IUA PD1 Salary Scale), Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher: €49,790 – €54,154 p.a. (IUA PD2 Salary Scale)
 
Project Title: SELFS – Sustainable integrated pathways for carbon-negative energy, land and food systems
 
For an information package including further details of the post see https://ore.ucc.ie/.
 
Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Professor Hannah Daly at ei.ccu@ylad.h.
 
Applications must be submitted online via the University College Cork vacancy portal (https://ore.ucc.ie/).
 
Queries relating to the online application process should be referred to ei.ccu@tnemtiurcer, quoting the job-title and project name.

Role

In addition to the criteria included in the attached Candidate Information Pack, the ideal candidate will:
  • Have a strong research track record in modelling future climate mitigation pathways, ideally with expertise in Integrated Assessment Modelling (IAM) or Energy Systems Optimisation Modelling (ESOM);
  • Have deep understanding of the climate impacts of energy, food and/or land systems, including mitigation options, and be motivated to expand their expertise to encompass all three areas;
  • Be driven by the desire to understand the causes of (and propose solutions to) the climate crisis;
  • Have ability to lead collaborative research papers and co-supervise doctoral researchers;
  • Have excellent communication skills, including fluent written and spoken English, and a track-record of both academic writing and translating the significance of their research to non-specialist audiences, particularly policymakers.
Along with the SELFS project, the researcher will work alongside the high-impact and dynamic EPMG team, who engage closely with Irish policymakers and other stakeholders and develop the evidence base for climate, energy and transport policy. The team develops and applies an ecosystem of models, including the TIMES-Ireland Model (TIM), PLEXOS power system model and LEAP simulation model.

Working Location

The successful applicant will be based in UCC’s Environmental Research Institute (ERI) (https://www.ucc.ie/en/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. Overlooking a protected natural reserve and the River Lee, the ERI is a welcoming, diverse and modern workplace. The researcher will also be affiliated with MaREI, the SFI Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine (www.marei.ie).

Candidates should apply, in confidence, before 12 noon (Irish Local Time) on Friday, 5 May 2023. No late applications will be accepted.

Feature Project

SELFS

The SELFS will develop a new national-level integrated assessment model of energy-land-food systems to explore these possible divergent futures, focussing on Ireland, and draw insights for long-term climate policy.

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