Overview

This post will be based in the Department of Management within Edinburgh Business School. The post supports a funded research project undertaken by a team of researchers in the Department of Management and the Department of Marketing and Operations, working together as the Sustainable and Circular Innovation Research Lab https://scilab.site.hw.ac.uk/  

This part-time Research and Innovation Associate post will support a TalEntEd Islands Programme-funded collaborative project between Heriot-Watt University and Lerwick Distillery, exploring the feasibility of establishing a local, sustainable barley-to-malt supply chain in Shetland. The project will examine organisational, governance, and stakeholder engagement options, with a particular focus on supporting constructive dialogue between industry, agricultural and community stakeholders.

Working with researchers from the Sustainable and Circular Innovation Research Lab, the postholder will contribute to stakeholder mapping, qualitative interviews, literature review, workshop planning and delivery, and the analysis and reporting of findings. The postholder will also undertake project administration tasks, supported by the project lead.

Applications are welcome from current PhD researchers and others with equivalent postgraduate research experience.

Some travel to Shetland will be required.

Education, Qualifications and Experience

Essential Criteria:

  1. A postgraduate qualification (normally master’s level or above) in business/management, sustainability, social sciences, environmental studies, or a related discipline.
  2. Knowledge of qualitative research methods, including interviews and thematic analysis.
  3. Experience collecting and managing qualitative research data.
  4. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  5. Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities within agreed deadlines.
  6. Strong organisational and administrative skills.
  7. Ability to work collaboratively with academic and non-academic stakeholders.
  8. Willingness and ability to travel to Shetland.

Desirable Criteria:

  1. Experience conducting qualitative interviews with external business and community stakeholders.
  2. Experience organising and conducting stakeholder engagement activities or workshops.
  3. Knowledge of sustainability, circular economy, rural development, island communities, food systems or supply chains.
  4. Experience of discourse and/or conversation analysis methods.
  5. Experience using qualitative data analysis software (e.g. NVivo).
  6. Experience preparing ethics applications or handling research data in accordance with ethical and data protection requirements.
  7. Experience producing reports for non-academic audiences.

For informal discussions about the position, please contact Dr Liz Cooper, liz.cooper@hw.ac.uk

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