Research Fellow in the Politics of Climate Change and Health

The University of Birmingham seeks a Research Fellow in the Politics of Climate Change and Health for a fixed-term contract until February 2029. The role involves leading research at the intersection of climate change and health policy, supporting the Working Group on Public and Political Engagement, and developing global indicators. Candidates should have a PhD or be near completion in a relevant field, with strong research and publication experience.
Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to February 2029

Background

We are seeking a highly skilled Research Fellow to lead research at the intersection of politics, health, and climate change. The Research Fellow will join the prestigious Wellcome Trust-funded research collaboration, The Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change, working in partnership with The Lancet and the World Health Organization to track global progress on health and climate change.

The Research Fellow will join the Working Group on Public and Political Engagement with Climate Change and Health (WG5). The role combines expertise in climate change and health policy with applied research skills to develop innovative indicators and analyses, and lead cutting-edge research on the politics of climate change and health.

Main Duties
• Spearheading research on the politics of climate change and health: Design and execute projects analysing the politics of health and climate change using different methods.
• Support WG5 and its Co-Chairs as an academic leader, including by acting as lead support for the WG5 Steering Group and coordinating
• Lead the development and refinement of global indicators for tracking public and political engagement with climate change and health
• Lead the contribution of the WG5 section of the global Lancet Countdown reports with the Working Group Chair, including by the drafting of relevant sections and supporting contributions from other WG5 authors
• Support and co-lead the review of the Lancet Countdown’s indicator framework for WG5
• Contribute to, and lead, further academic publications and funding applications
• Support regional WG5 teams in the incorporation of global indicators to regional reports, and interact with, and support, the wider Lancet Countdown project.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications and Experience:
• PhD (or near completion) in political science, social sciences, public/global health, or related field
• Strong understanding of climate change and health, particularly related to politics and policy processes
• Strong track record of publications in political science, climate change, health policy, or related fields
• Prove ability to work with quantitative data and indicators
• Experience in data visualisation and communication of research findings
• Track record of working effectively in international, multi-disciplinary teams

Desirable Skills:
• Experience with machine learning or natural language processing
• Knowledge of econometric methods for policy evaluation
• Experience developing indicators for policy tracking
• A research agenda in health and climate change, particularly related to politics, policy processes, global governance, communication

The Research Fellow will work with Professor Niheer Dasandi, the Co-Chair and Working Group lead, and will be based in the School of Government at the University of Birmingham. They will also be affiliated with the Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action (BISCA), providing opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration and research impact.

The post is available for 42 months on a full-time basis. The successful candidate will join a dynamic research environment with opportunities for professional development in both substantive and methodological areas.

Informal enquiries can be made to Professor Niheer Dasandi, email: n.dasandi@bham.ac.uk

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment
We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working

£46,735 to £55,755. Full time starting salary is normally in the range £46,735 to £55,755 with potential progression once in post to £62,728. Grade 8