Ad Astra Fellow - Assistant Professor of Social and Behavioural Science in Food and Agriculture

Applications are sought for Ad Astra Fellow - Assistant Professor of Social and Behavioural Science in Food and Agriculture within the College of Health and Agricultural Sciences. 

Applications are invited for the post of Assistant Professor of Social and Behavioural Science in Food and Agriculture at the UCD School of Agriculture & Food Science. This role is key in advancing the School’s commitment to breaking boundaries across disciplines and enhancing sustainable agricultural practices through behavioural research.

The appointee will join a team of over 80 academics across the School who work in a wide range of disciplines in the natural and social sciences. The School delivers an extensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes into which contributions will be related to behavioural and social sciences subjects.

The ideal candidate will have experience in conducting behavioural research in agriculture, food, or a related field. They should demonstrate a strong commitment to research, innovation, and stakeholder impact. The candidate must be comfortable working with both quantitative and qualitative methodologies and show a willingness to work in an interdisciplinary environment. Methodological pluralism is considered an advantage, particularly in teaching. Excellent interpersonal skills and a proactive approach to interdisciplinary collaboration are essential.

It is expected the candidate will be committed to developing the area of behavioural science in agriculture and food through engagement with a wide range of agri-food system actors from farm to fork and endeavour to strengthen existing and create new research networks and collaborations both internally within UCD and externally with stakeholders agri-food sector. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Research Leadership**:** Develop an internationally recognised research programme in behavioural science within the context of agriculture and food. This will involve the integration of disciplines such as economics, psychology, and business, with a focus on stakeholder impact, including policymakers and industry.
• Stakeholder Engagement**:** Work closely with stakeholders to develop national and international research initiatives that contribute to enhancing sustainable agri-food systems. Lead projects that place farmers, farm households, and consumers at the centre of behavioural change analysis, providing evidence-based insights for public policy.
• Teaching Excellence**:** Coordinate and deliver high-quality teaching in the behavioural and social sciences across undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. Employ a variety of teaching methods, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches to enrich student learning.
• Academic Contribution**:** Play an active role in contributing to the academic life of the School and the University. This includes leading and collaborating on research funding and policy proposals, contributing to the development of new programmes, and supporting the wider strategic goals of UCD.
• Supervision and Mentorship**:** Supervise undergraduate, master's, and doctoral research students, as well as postdoctoral researchers. Inspire students by providing mentorship and support to foster research excellence.
• Research Impact**:** Engage in scholarly research that leads to impactful outcomes, including publications in peer-reviewed international journals. Develop research findings that can directly inform public policy, thereby supporting UCD's engagement for impact initiative.
• Community Representation: Represent UCD in the wider community by engaging with agri-food system actors across the spectrum, from farm to fork. Develop new research networks and collaborations, and strengthen existing ones to advance the field of behavioural sciences in agriculture.

95 Lecturer/Asst Professor Above the Bar (7943) Salary Scale: €62,855 - €99,533 Per Annum

Appointment will be made on scale and in accordance with the Department of Finance guidelines.

Closing date: 12:00 noon (local Irish time) on the 21st February 2025. 

Applications must be submitted (via the ‘Apply’ button above) by the closing date and time specified. Any applications which are still in progress at the closing time of 12:00 noon (Local Irish Time) on the specified closing date will be cancelled automatically by the system. UCD are unable to accept late applications.

Please note: the eRecruitment system only requests the names of two referees. The full list of 3 referees should be included in the text of your application.

UCD do not require assistance from Recruitment Agencies. Any CVs submitted by Recruitment Agencies will be returned.

Note: Hours of work for academic staff are those as prescribed under Public Service Agreements. For further information please follow the link; https://www.ucd.ie/hr/t4media/Academic%20Contract.pdf