£27,183 per annum
School of Biological Sciences
Applications are invited for a Research Fellow to work with Professor Guy Poppy on a project entitled: Integrated systems for farm diversification into energy production by anaerobic digestion: implications for rural development, land use and the environment. The project is a joint collaboration between the Schools of Biological Sciences and Civil Engineering & the Environment at Southampton, and the University of Reading.
The challenge is to find diverse, safe and environmentally beneficial mechanisms for the productive use of agricultural land for energy supply, within integrated conventional farming systems. The impact of the work will be high at both national and international levels through the interest in anaerobic digestion as a waste treatment application and a renewable energy provider. The main focus of the remaining period is to assess the environmental impact of changes in crop planting to feed the digesters. The tools required to make risk assessments and management decisions will be developed, rather than detailed empirical new data collection which is labour intensive and expensive.
You will be based in School of Biological Sciences which pro-actively encourages interdisciplinary approaches in the life sciences (www.sbs.soton.ac.uk/research/index.php). You will have recently obtained a PhD in a relevant area, ideally agricultural ecology or environmental management. You will have experience in risk assessment/environmental impact studies and although not essential some background knowledge of agricultural ecology is desirable.
This full-time post is available immediately for a period of approximately one year.
Informal enquiries may be made to Guy Poppy, email: gmp@soton.ac.uk
Please visit www.jobs.soton.ac.uk and apply on-line, or call +44 (0)23 8059 2750. The closing date for this position is 16 March 2009 at 12.00 midday. Please quote reference number 3152-09-M on all correspondence.
