Job Description

A knowledge exchange associate in Nature Recovery Planning is needed in the research group of Dr Jenny Hodgson . We will provide novel spatial analyses to help practitioners across England who are developing Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs). This project is in partnership with Natural England, and builds on the long-running Condatis knowledge exchange project. The Condatis software helps find the best locations for habitat protection and restoration under climate change, based on the ability of species to shift their range .

Specifically, we will use Condatis to pinpoint \'bottlenecks\' in the habitat networks in England, and work with LNRS teams to analyse whether and how these bottlenecks could be addressed on the ground. Strong GIS and R coding skills will be required to perform the bottlenecks analysis, combined with the ability to communicate the results in accessible language, and explain their policy relevance. Additionally, we will add some new functions to the Condatis web app (with our in-house software engineer), and aim to release our R codebase as an open source library. Although this is a short project, it is likely to have a strong impact on UK habitat conservation because it is the culmination of previous collaborations, and publications are expected to result. The post would suit someone with a geography or ecology background, and ambitions to work at the science-policy interface.

You will work in the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, a highly collegial department with opportunities to attend seminars and undertake transferrable skills training. You will also be in a supportive group researching related topics. The Hodgson group researches how species can survive under habitat fragmentation and climate change, and the difference that can be made by smart configuration of protected areas, habitat restoration, and interventions like agri-environment schemes.

You will have a Master\'s degree, PhD or equivalent experience.

This post is available from 1 October 2023 until 31 March 2024.

Job Ref: 064786 Closing Date: 24 September 2023

For full details and to apply online, please visit:

Jobs.ac.uk