Are you an enthusiastic and motivated researcher with an interest in modelling how the waste pickers across the Global South are contributing in plastic pollution prevention? Do you have considerable practical on the informal recycling sector (IRS) and a good understanding of plastic pollution quantification methodologies? Do you want to further advance your career in one of the UK’s leading research-intensive Universities, as part our plastic pollution team?

The School of Civil Engineering are looking for a Research Fellow to assess and model the role of waste pickers in recycling plastic waste items. In doing this, you will contribute significantly to the plastic pollution prevention; as our preliminary assessment with the P2O and SPOT global plastic pollution models already indicate. This role is part of our plastic pollution and circular economy team which is behind with world-leading methodologies for explaining and quantifying plastic waste management and its leakage into the environment. The project is funded by and is conducted in close collaboration with Grid-Arendal, associated with the UN Environment Programme.

In your role, you will aim to build upon these existing models of IRS quantification to develop a standardised methodology for the quantification of IRS activities around the world, with particular focus on the key regions of Africa and ASEAN member states. This includes supporting two case studies in these regions. This quantification will clearly outline the current contribution the IRS makes to plastic pollution preventions (baseline), whilst further expanding this to quantify likely future contributions given proposed scenarios. These models will be interlinked with a methodology for the structured identification and prioritisation of interventions to support the efforts of the IRS and promote a circular economy. Finally, you will communicate and disseminate findings from this research, alongside GRID-Arendal, to facilitate maximum uptake and impact.

We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements.

What we offer in return 

And much more!   

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

Dr Costas Velis, Lecturer in Resource Efficiency Systems

Email: [email protected]