In January 2020, the College of Social Sciences launched five interdisciplinary research themes. Each theme is led by a team of researchers bringing different perspectives and experiences. The Sustainability theme is looking to recruit an additional researcher to its leadership team.

We especially welcome applications from: Senior academics; Researchers within the field of business, just transition and/or net zero (although other research interests are also welcome!)

Theme description: The theme leaders take up sustainability in the context of the Anthropocene, a time when human behaviours are critically altering the ecologies of the planet. Our social science-led, transdisciplinary approach to sustainability includes socio-political as well as ecological issues and we work with partners in government, NGOs and directly with communities in the UK and elsewhere in the world.

Role and Responsibilities: The leadership team’s role is to promote the IRT as a means of contributing to the three pillars of the College of Social Science’s Research and Knowledge Exchange strategy, as follows:

  • Culture: Deliver an open event programme to enable within-College and cross-College networking for the development of ambitious new research, including events focused on different disciplinary perspectives on tackling challenges, skills development in working across disciplines, and writing large, interdisciplinary grant applications.
  • Income: Develop a bespoke research income growth plan to include a focus on new research funders. This includes identifying and supporting other researchers across the college to participate in and lead funding applications.
  • Impact: Identify and proactively develop deeper relationships with strategic impact partners.

The post-holder(s) will work with the existing leadership team and research development support to create an activity plan for 2022/23 in support of these aims. They will attend monthly planning meetings with the rest of the team, as well as cross-IRT workshops to share learning across the different themes. There is no specified minimum duration, but we envisage the post-holder(s) should have or be willing to develop a rich understanding of University of Glasgow interdisciplinary expertise around Sustainability and to support colleagues in pursuing research in this area.

Support: To achieve the above aims, IRTs are supported by a dedicated Research Development Manager and an Administrator. Each theme will also work with an interdisciplinary research fellow, who will support the leadership team with grant writing.

Each IRT has a workload allocation of 300 hours, to be distributed across the leadership team.

We welcome applications from all career stages, from post-doctoral onwards. Success in this leadership position will support applications for promotion according to criteria (for example: Grade 9 - Leadership in the development and/or management of a University initiative. This could involve the initiation of a new network, acting as Director or co-Director of an existing network; Professorial zone 1 - Leadership role in managing and supporting strategic initiatives at Subject, School/RI and/or College).

To apply: Send a CV and half a page of A4 outlining your interest in becoming part of this theme leadership group to: sustainability-irt@glasgow.ac.uk. This should include how the theme will support you in your personal career aims, as well as what you would contribute to the theme.

Deadline: 4pm, Wednesday 24 August.

For informal enquiries, please contact a member of the leadership team.

First published: 21 July 2022

<< Research Highlights