Research Associate in Global hazard hotspot identification

Grade UE07: £41,885-£49,798 per annum

School of Engineering, College of Science & Engineering

Institute for Infrastructure and Environment

Full Time: 35 hours per week

Fixed Term: contract up to 12 months

The Opportunity:

Together we can do great things. Be part of something bigger. 

This role sits at the critical intersection of climate adaptation, wildfire dynamics, and water security. The primary objective is to investigate how shifting climate patterns alter flood and drought hazard patterns and wildfire occurrence. Additionally it will explore how fire-modified landscapes drive changes in hydrology. You will develop an integrated modelling framework that connects climate change projections (e.g. CMIP6 or ISIMIP) to hydrological responses, specifically focusing on the cascading impacts of fire on water systems under future Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs).

A core component of the work involves modelling future hazard occurrences at the global scale (spatially and temporally) – from floods to droughts and wildfire. The work will develop a probabilistic framework, handling uncertainty using a ensemble approach, to deliver a regional analysis of changing global hazards (floods (fluvial and pluvial), droughts (meterological and hydrological) and wildfire). Hotspots of increasing hazard magnitude/severity or duration will be identified and will feed into a wider project (led by the University of Bristol) exploring the global health burden of water supply under different SSPs. 

Floods and droughts will be detected using threshold metrics and events extracted from global climate projections (e.g. CMIP6/ISIMIP). Wildfire occurrence will be modelled not merely as a static hazard, but as a dynamic driver of landscape change. You will utilise large-scale climate ensembles (e.g., CMIP6 ISIMIP) and land-use projections to simulate future fire frequencies, severities, and spatial extents. This fire occurrence modelling will serve as the foundational input for assessing how vegetation loss and soil property changes—such as increased water repellency—alter the hydrological cycle.

Working at a large scale, you will be responsible for the necessary data processing, synthesis, and downscaling required to bridge the gap between coarse global climate models and actionable local risk insights. You will employ probabilistic approaches to handle uncertainties in both climate projections, water jazards and fire behaviour, ensuring robust estimates of future water-related hazards. The outputs will directly feed the wider project consortium (University of Bristol and Newcastle – exploring the potential global health burden from SSPs). This position demands strong skills in geospatial analysis, climate model and data knowledge, and statistical programming to translate complex, multi-hazard interactions into outputs.

People have always been at the heart of our work. Our people are at the centre of the University community and everything we do. We value colleagues with drive, determination and a passion for what they do. We are a place where everyone is welcome and offer a range of policies and benefits designed to support you in building the right meaningful flexibility that works for you.

This post is full-time (35 hours per week); however, we are open to considering part-time or flexible working patterns. We are also open to considering requests for hybrid working (on a non-contractual basis) that combines a mix of remote and regular on-campus working. Delete/amend statements if not appropriate (e.g. if role already part-time or if flexible working and/or hybrid working arrangements are not possible).

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How to apply

Please include the following documents in your application:

- CV

- Cover letter stating relevant previous experience and motivation to join this project. 

As a valued member of our team, you can expect: 

• A competitive salary. 
• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work. 
• To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
• Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits. 

Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion

The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter, and we are also a Stonewall Proud Employer, actively promoting LGBTQ+ equality. 

Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab)

The University is able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. If successful, an international applicant requiring sponsorship to work in the UK will need to satisfy the UK Home Office’s English Language requirements and apply for and secure a Skilled Worker Visa.  

Key dates to note

The closing date for applications is 24 November 2026

 Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm UK time. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone.