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MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development

global challenges, engineering solutions
 
Job opportunity Research Assistant/Associate in Urban Flood Resilience (Fixed Term)

A position exists, for a Research Assistant/Associate in the Department of Engineering, to work on the EPSRC funded project "Achieving Urban flood resilience in an uncertain future", which will be delivered by a consortium of 9 UK Universities.

Centre for Sustainable Development, Engineering

CLOSING DATE 12th September 2016

The post holder will be located in Central Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK.

The Cambridge University researcher will lead the development of a GIS-based tool to support comparative evaluation of the costs and benefits of alternative Urban Flood Risk Management solutions and will examine the potential for integrated "Blue/Green" and "Grey" systems to deliver affordable urban flood resilience and capture the resource potential of urban stormwater, using techniques such as a real options appraisal. The work will focus on Case Study locations in Newcastle and Ebbsfleet to apply the techniques developed.

The key responsibilities and duties are to examine a wider typology of urban stormwater reuse to establish how stormwater resources can be cascaded through the urban system, leading to practical solutions for stormwater recovery, recycling and reuse and to develop a real options appraisal to determine location specific mixes of "blue green" and "grey" assets for the management of urban flooding. The successful applicant will attend quarterly project steering meetings and Local Action Alliance meetings and present results of the scientific research at international conferences and local and national stakeholders.

The skills, qualifications and experience required to perform the role are having obtained or is close to obtaining a PhD in an Engineering or related scientific discipline (eg Maths, Geography) and knowledge of UK urban water management practice. Experience of using GIS tools will be an advantage.

Salary Ranges: Research Assistant: £25,023 - £28,982; Research Associate: £28,982 - £37,768

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 36 months in the first instance.

Further information

http://www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/11085/

 

Course Overview

Context

The need to engage in better problem definition through careful dialogue with all stakeholder groups and a proper recognition of context.

Perspectives

An ability to work with specialists from other disciplines and professional groups acknowledging that technical innovation and business skills also must be understood, nurtured and combined as precursors to the successful implementation of sustainable solutions.

Change

An understanding of mechanisms for managing change in organisations so future engineers are equipped to play a leadership role.

Tools

An awareness of a range of assessment frameworks, sustainability metrics and methodologies such as Life Cycle Analysis, Systems Dynamics, Multi-Criteria Decision making and Impact Assessment.