Research Assistant (Resilient Food Systems)

Francis Close Hall Campus, Cheltenham

1.0FTE, 37 hours per week

18 month fixed term contract until 30^th May 2026

About the school or department

The Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) (www.ccri.ac.uk) at the University of Gloucestershire is the largest specialist rural research centre in the UK, having expertise in all aspects of research in policy and planning for the countryside and the environment of the UK, Europe and further afield. We are a vibrant research community achieving high recognition internationally and in the UK Research Excellent Framework (REF) appraisal.

About the role

The CCRI is seeking to appoint a postdoctoral researcher to support the delivery of a major new UKRI / BBSRC-funded project ‘Towards Resilient Industrial Socio-Metabolic relations (TRI-SoMe CHICKEN)’, funded through the Strengthening the Resilience of the UK Food System call. TRI-SoMe CHICKEN examines the benefits and harms of an industrialised food system to communities of humans, animals, microbes, and the environment. The project goal is to develop resilient socio-metabolics through co-produced knowledge, intervention and engagement, by researchers, industry stakeholders and consumers.

The post holder will be working with project Co-I Professor Damian Maye to examine resilience questions at the production end of the poultry system. The role will develop an understanding, through the application of novel qualitative research methods (interviews, ethnographies), chicken (broiler) production systems, harms and benefits at the farm level, including chicken lives and connections with producers, inputs (feed and energy for example) and the environment. This work provides qualitative inputs for a unique system dynamic model to represent and assess the lives, uses and resilience capacities of chicken and chicken products (feed, waste, processed chicken meals).

Through this work, using poultry as a case study, the post thus provides an excellent opportunity to contribute to an essential first step towards forging a novel policy instrument of ethical principles for socio-economic transitions to UK food system resilience.

In addition, the successful candidate will be expected to contribute to academic life of the CCRI. The role will also involve writing academic papers for publication in peer-reviewed journals, presenting the research outcomes at national and international conferences, and working alongside other research staff.

This post would suit a post-graduate with proven social science skills, particularly qualitative methods and analysis. An interest in food system resilience for policy, practice, science and theory would be an advantage.

The University is committed to building a diverse and inclusive staff community and welcomes applications from currently under-represented sections of our workforce. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader, guaranteeing an interview to everyone who meets the definition of disability set out in the Equality Act 2010 and the essential criteria contained within the person specification.

Contact details

Candidates may contact Professor Damian Maye (dmaye@glos.ac.uk) to discuss the role.

Closing date: 14^th October 2024

Interview date: 28^th October 2024

To apply please click the 'Apply' button above, you will be asked to complete submit an application form. A CV will only be accepted alongside a completed application form.

Advert information