HSS-171-23-R – Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Agent-Based Modelling for Conservation

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School of Anthropology and Conservation
Location:  Canterbury
Salary: 
£36,386 to £40,931
per annum
Grade:  Grade 7
Post Type:  Full Time
Contract Type:
Fixed Term

– 36 Months
Release Date: 
Tuesday 06 June 2023
Closing Date: 
23.59 hours BST on Tuesday 20 June 2023

 (unless otherwise stated)
Reference:  HSS-171-23-R

 The School of Anthropology and Conservation is seeking to hire a Post-Doctoral Research Associate with expertise in agent-based modelling to work on an exciting new applied research programme focussing on West and Central Africa.

The successful applicant will be working on the research programme Wildlife Consumption in Urban Tropical Africa, funded by UK Research and Innovation, and led by Dr Daniel Ingram of the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE). This interdisciplinary research programme comprises postdoctoral and postgraduate specialists in wildlife conservation, social sciences, economics, and statistics, who together investigate the socio-cultural, economic, and ecological drivers of the hunting, consumption, and trade of wildlife (for “wild meat”) in rural and urban areas of the tropics and subtropics.

This Post-Doctoral researcher will primarily design, build, and analyse an agent-based model to assess possible interventions to bring the wild meat sector towards sustainability using data collected in West and Central African cities on wild meat consumption. In collaboration with the PI, the candidate will also be able to help design the field programme that will collect the urban wild meat consumption data for use in the agent-based model. The role will likely also involve travel and workshops in one of the focal countries.

We are therefore seeking a candidate who is well-versed in agent-based modelling, and who is interested in the social and spatial drivers of natural resource use and human behaviours. 

As a Post-Doctoral Research Associate you will:

• Design and build an agent-based simulation model of urban wild meat consumption patterns and consumer behaviour using data collected in West and Central African cities, and write up as a journal article
• Using the agent-based model, test the effectiveness of different intervention scenarios that could be used to bring the wild meat sector towards sustainability, and write-up as a journal article
• Contribute to the design of the urban wild meat research field programme
• Represent the Urban Wild Meat Research Programme at meetings and events internationally

To be successful in this role you will have:

• A PhD or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject within behavioural or social science or similar (ideally applied to conservation, environmental, or development issues)
• Experience of designing and building agent-based models (ideally multi-agent and focussed on people),
• Experience of writing publications for peer-reviewed internationally-recognised academic journals (ideally publishing on agent-based models),
• Experience of collaborating effectively with academic and non-academic collaborators.

Please see the links below to view the full Job Description and to apply for this post. For further information regarding the application process please contact The HR Team on [email protected] quoting ref number: HSS-171-23-R

Please note that we prioritise applications from current University of Kent redeployees. We will let you know if this post is to be filled by a redeployee as, in this instance, your application will unfortunately not be taken forward.

Applications must be made via the University’s online application system; CVs or details sent directly to the department or via email cannot be considered.

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