Research Fellow in Urban Air Quality Modelling

Background

To create and contribute to the development of a novel Air Quality Horizon Scanning Tool (AQHST) by undertaking a specified range of activities within an established research programme, WM-Air.

Summary of Role

• Work within the scope of the objectives and decisions determined by the Project Board
• Develop objectives and methodologies for the tool, AQHST, and operate air quality models to generate air quality library for AQHST
• Contribute to writing reports, papers, documentation of AQHST for local authorities, and materials for public understanding
• Contribute to generating funding

Main Duties / Responsibilities

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Develop objectives and methodologies for the tool, AQHST
• Collect and synthesise the needs of local authorities for the toolkit to be developed
• Design innovative methodologies of the toolkit to cope with the needs
• Design and build a library of policy / planning scenarios defined by the WM-Air project
• Operate air quality models to generate air quality maps of West Midlands for the policy / planning scenarios
• Build a library of air quality maps indexed by policy / planning scenarios
• Contribute to developing computer models, user-friendly interface, techniques,innovative methods,
• Gather data from a variety of sources: experimentation, routine monitoring, literature reviews, and interviews etc.
• Analyse and interpret model output, observational data
• Contribute to writing handbooks, documentations, reports, online materials, and other publication materials.
• Translate knowledge in a way which policy makers and general public can understand
• Disseminate output for publication, seminars, media, press conferences etc
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Undertake management/administration arising from the project
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
• Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
• Supervise students on related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the project
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of objectives and deadlines

Person Specification

• First degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) area and a higher degree, preferably a PhD degree, relevant to research area or equivalent qualifications
• High level analytical capability and numerical modelling skills
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Contribute to the planning and organising of the air quality modelling strand
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
• Decide in consultation with the principal investigator and/or strand leads as appropriate, on the most appropriate way of undertaking specified activities
• Decide in collaboration with co-authors which aspects of the output to include in a documentation, presentation or a publication and how to convey the output