Rewilding Modeller

Location

University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Middleton

Contract Type

Fixed Term 21 months

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust (DWT) and the University of Derby are developing a Centre of Excellence, to focus on the development of natural capital and Biodiversity Net Gain through rewilding.  We are offering an exciting opportunity for 2 Knowledge Exchange Partnership (KTP) Associates to form a key part of this Centre of Excellence and will use remote sensing data and predictive modelling to project the natural recovery of ecologically poor-quality land to ecologically complex and diverse land. This Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) can be sold as habitat units to developers, to mitigate damage done through their construction projects.

This KTP role is for a Rewilding Modeller.

About The Role

You will develop a predictive model that can be used to plot the trajectory of habitats through rewilding, in order to provide biodiversity net gain units for sale to developers. The initial phase will involve developing a conceptual framework, on which the eventual model will build. Input data will include physical site information (soil chemistry and geology, hydrology, proximal seed sources etc), existing quantitative and modelled data from DWT (e.g. current habitat and biodiversity maps), combined with information about habitat outcomes (e.g. known patterns of habitat succession and impacts of particular management or natural processes). You will use meta-analytical tools to evaluate the published literature, and interview tools (e.g. Delphi techniques) to gather expert opinion from DWT. The final phase will be to write the simulation model to predict the 30 year biodiversity trajectory of habitat units, which will be refined in response to Earth Observation and other monitoring data. Whilst this role is a fixed term contract, DWT is anticipating a transition to permanent roles with the Wildlife Trust or its consultancy, Wild Solutions, at the end of the Innovate UK funded period.

We are happy to talk flexible working

This role will be based at the DWT office in Middleton, with regular sessions at the University of Derby, although a balance of home and office working is likely. We are a local charity so applicants should be easily able to access our office and other locations around the county.

About University of Derby

University of Derby’s College of Science and Engineering in partnership with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust are offering an exciting career-development opportunity to manage and deliver a challenging strategic Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project. Based at the company premises, you will be employed by the University as a KTP Associate but work under the terms and conditions of the Wildlife Trust.

Using your knowledge and skills to support the business and achieve specific project aims, you will receive on-going support from a Company Supervisor, Academic Supervisor and Academic Lead from the University of Derby to help you deliver. A personal training and development budget will also be available for you to access, as well as receiving access to the same training opportunities and facilities as University staff.

For more information and to apply on-line, please click the “Apply” button above.

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