News/events type: Vacancy

How can we measure the ecological health and functionality of savanna ecosystems? How do we define degradation and nature recovery in such ecosystems? We’re advertising a new postdoc position – a partnership between Natural State, a non-profit NGO operating in Kenya and The Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a pioneering scheme looking to deliver landscape scale restoration in the Kenyan rangelands. The role will include academic research and applied work in delivering nature recovery at scale in Kenya, utilising Natural State’s field research station in Kenya.

We are seeking a highly motivated and talented Postdoctoral Researcher to join our interdisciplinary team focused on determining the best indicators for degradation and recovery across biomes, with an initial focus on savanna systems, and savanna rangeland systems.

This position offers an excellent opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research, collaborate with renowned experts, and make a meaningful impact on the conservation and restoration of savanna and other ecosystems. The successful candidate is expected to build upon existing bodies of knowledge in systems ecology and restoration science and publish results in high impact peer review journals. The outputs from this research will play a critical role in advancing our understanding of savanna ecosystems undergoing restoration, which will inform the basis for a biodiversity-based financing mechanism
The successful candidate must hold a PhD/DPhil in the relevant research field, or a less experience candidate may be appointed at Grade 6 (£32,332- £38,205 per annum), with a commensurate adjustment in either the essential criteria, responsibilities or duties Experience with using quantitative methods in ecological research. Possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research projects and methodologies. Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage and prioritise varied and diverse work streams. A pro-active and adaptive attitude, able to identify new opportunities for impact while balancing them against existing priorities and resources.

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online. You will be required to upload a CV and supporting statement as part of your online application.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Friday 28 June 2024 , and interviews will be held as soon as possible after closing.

More info here 

We’re recruiting! Research Associate Innovative Financing for Nature.

This is an exciting opportunity to collaborate on world-leading research with significant impact through a pioneering project to deliver landscape scale restoration across Africa. The position is co-funded by the Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery and Natural State, a non-profit NGO headquartered in Kenya and working across Africa. The role will include academic and applied research, with a focus of analysing financing mechanisms to deliver and scale financing for nature, working closely with local and global stakeholders.

We are seeking a highly motivated and talented Researcher to help study, analyse and test innovative financing mechanisms for nature across Africa. An important design criterion of the project is community engagement and buy-in to ensure that funds are distributed equitably, so the postholder will have the opportunity to work on-the-ground in Kenya and other Africa countries closely alongside Natural State. The research will include substantial engagement with market participants, as well as dialogue with public financiers, including MDBs, and other relevant stakeholders. This collaboration will enable the development and application of impact-based financial mechanisms for nature.

The postholder will part of the Resilience and Development Group of the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) and the Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery, and will report to Dr Nicola Ranger, Senior Researcher and Programme Leader. The postholder will also work closely with Professor Yadvinder Malhi, Director of the Leverhulme Centre, and Jonathan Baillieand the wider team at Natural State to conduct research with local communities, financiers and wider stakeholders.

The successful candidate must hold a relevant PhD/DPhil with research experience, including international development, finance, economics, geography or environmental sciences (for Grade 7 position), or close to completion of a relevant PhD/DPhil / (Grade 6 position) with a commensurate adjustment in either the essential criteria, responsibilities or duties. Possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research projects and methodologies. Ability to independently plan and manage a research project, including a research budget, and develop new ideas for research projects. Passion for nature and strong interest in finance, and willingness to travel to Kenya. Commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion.

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online. You will be required to upload a CV and supporting statement as part of your online application.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Friday 14 June 2024, and interviews are likely to be held in the week commencing 24 June 2024 or 1 July 2024.

 

More info: http://bit.ly/3X1tamt

There is increasing evidence from population-level studies to indicate a positive association between nature, improves mental and physical health and cognitive ability. Preliminary clinical studies indicate that interactions with different aspects of nature via the senses of sight, smell, sound, and touch can trigger various physiological and psychological changes that could account for this apparent association. However, it remains unclear which of these interactions (sight, sound, smell or touch) has the most influence, what types of nature are needed and how much time is needed in it (dose) to gain these benefits.

One of the most interesting sets of clinical trials to date relates to smell and the effects of volatile organic compounds emitted by different tree species on physiological and psychological measures. In these studies, pinene and cedrol (monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes), appear to have statistically strong outcomes indicating improved physiological and psychological measures when inhaled for set intervals of time. There are few studies based in the field to look at this relationship – although there are hints that it could be significant; for example, one study demonstrated that when people walk in pine/cedar forests etc. significantly higher concentrations of these compounds were found in the participants’ blood and they demonstrated greater reductions in physiological and psychological measures for stress. Our understanding of the relationship between smells of nature and its beneficial role on human health is limited. To address this knowledge gap, our work will use a combined approach using field and clinical experiments in a range of nature-based settings.

The role

We are seeking an experienced scientist with a background in Biology and/or Experimental Psychology with interests in plant ecology, environmental science and the nexus between nature and human well-being. Experience in developing field and clinical experiments is also desirable

The goal is to build on existing work to coordinate and run a set of field experiments measuring subjects’ physiological and psychological; responses to being exposed to a range of natural environments or natural stimuli. The experiments will be conducted throughout a range of site on the University of Oxford Estate.

Your main activities will involve implementing and managing academic research activities, including coordinating multiple aspects of work to meet deadlines and desired goals. This will involve designing, overseeing, and conducting field experiments and clinical experiments, working with a wide range of researchers from different disciplines, stakeholders and project partners. You will be responsible for a suite of physiological (blood, salivary amylase, cortisol) and psychological measurements to determine dose-response relationships as well as playing a key role in experimental design and subsequent data analysis.

You will also support team members in their activities, contribute to policy engagement and knowledge exchange activities and prepare manuscripts for submission to peer reviewed journals. You will have a proven capacity to produce excellent research and you will be expected to collaborate on initiatives to further cross-disciplinary research at the centre

The University of Oxford is committed to equality and valuing diversity. All applicants will be judged on merit, according to the selection criteria.
This post is full time (although applications to work part-time are welcome)

The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on 30th August 2023, interviews are likely to be scheduled for September. Applications for this vacancy are to be made online via our e-recruitment system, and you will be required to upload a supporting statement and CV as part of your online application.

More information and to apply here

 

The Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery’s Society Theme, together with the Ecology Theme are looking to hire a casual employee (12 week position) to conduct archival work on the Kwahu landscape in Eastern Ghana. The work has been requested by our Ghanaian partner organization, the Nature Conservation Research Centre (NCRC in Ghana), and will be guided by NCRC, Connie McDermott and Jesus Aguirre Gutierrez.

Requirements: competence in GIS analysis and systematic literature reviews; ability to conduct research in Oxford and Bristol (as needed) to access physical archives, interest in socio-cultural history and good writing and communication skills.

Desirable: Experience conducting archival research, experience in Ghana/West Africa

The Kwahu landscape has been identified as a future site for LCNR research on nature recovery, and hence this archival work will provide important historical data and context for LCNR’s future research in the area.

Pay level based on experience – either Master’s or PhD candidates encouraged to apply. The role can be carried out on a full or part-time basis and the start-date is flexible although the work will need to be completed within 12 weeks.

More information about the Ghana Kwahu historical land cover assessment archival assistance request can be viewed here

To apply, please send a CV and short statement of interest to: naturerecovery@ouce.ox.ac.uk