Research Associate

Are you an architectural researcher, with a PhD (or equivalent) in the field of Urban Agriculture? Do you have strong quantitative and qualitative skills and experience in liaising with international researchers/research projects?
If so you may be interested in applying to work part-time on a fixed term basis on the GreenME project in the Kent School of Architecture and Planning.
Collaborating with Dr Silvio Caputo on GreenME (Advancing green care in Europe: an integrated multi-scalar approach for the expansion of nature-based therapies to improve mental health equity) you will have a key role in delivering the work package 4, led by Kent School of Architecture and Planning. The work package focuses on the development of spatial analyses in selected case studies as well as large-scale citizens’ surveys on the use of green and blue infrastructures and the mental health benefits deriving from them. The spatial analysis requires also auditing a sample of green and blue spaces, therefore availability to travel within the UK to visit such spaces is necessary.
You will manage your own academic research and administrative activities and represent the UK research team at external meetings and seminars. You must be confident with using GIS and have prior experience of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis with statistical and other relevant methods (e.g. content analysis).
The post requires travel to European countries occasionally for international project meetings as well as travel within the UK to visit national case studies.
As a Research Associate you will:
Participate in core GreenME (online and in person) project meetings and organising project meetings when held at the University of Kent;
Liaise with the project team as well as with key stakeholders, particularly with the urban farmers managing the farms selected for case studies;
Gather datasets to store and analyse in GIS for selected case studies;
Represent the research team at meetings with external stakeholders and disseminating project findings in academic and non-academic relevant events;
Producing single- and co-authored academic outputs and contributing to the authoring and editing of other over-arching project outputs (methodological toolkit, briefing document, website, blog posts.
To be successful in this role you will have:
Completed – or close to completion - PhD or equivalent in a field of study relevant to Urban Agriculture
An understanding of the urban agriculture/care farming debate at a national and international level
Confident use of GIS and statistical methods of analysis, and other qualitative methods of analysis such as content analysis.
Prior work experience of liaising with international researchers/research projects.
Experience of communicating academic research to diverse audiences and publications of academic research to a high standard
Ability to build relationships with a range of stakeholders (policymakers, community leaders, practitioners in the field of urban agriculture, and relevant NGOs).
What we can offer you in return:
A friendly, open and collaborative working environment and support in your development and wellbeing
Hybrid working options allowing a flexible blend of office and home working (to be agreed in line with business needs)
43 days' leave per year (personal leave, bank holidays and additional days allocated for the Christmas period, pro rata for part-time staff)
An excellent pension scheme with generous employer contributions
On-campus cinema/theatre, sports facilities, library, nursery and food outlets, set among green, open space
Study while you work discounts, cycle to work scheme, local business discounts
On-site parking

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