Senior PDRA in Marine Social Science

Location: SAMS, Oban
Contract Type: Fixed Term – until 13th February 2028
Working Pattern: Full Time (37 hours per week, Monday to Friday)
Salary Range: £37,099 - £41,732 per annum
Closing Date: 14th March 2025

The Project

The GLOBALSEAWEED-PROTECT initiative aims to develop a resilient seaweed industry in Southeast Asia using a One Health approach. The project ensures that production systems can withstand climate change, maintain healthy crops by preventing the introduction and spread of pests and diseases, and safeguard both wild seaweed biodiversity and the wider environment. Additionally, it seeks to enhance the long-term livelihoods of farmers and their communities while serving as a global model for sustainable seaweed aquaculture.

Developed in partnership with Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, the project focuses on:

  • Advancing research innovation

  • Developing resilient seaweed crops

  • Implementing biosecurity management strategies and toolkits for improving seaweed health

  • Engaging with local communities, researchers, governments, industry, and NGOs through ‘Sharing Best Practice’ workshops

The Role

The Senior PDRA in Marine Social Science will be responsible for facilitating community-led research to support the development of sustainable seaweed aquaculture in Indonesia and Thailand. This role involves leading scoping research, co-designing research agendas with local communities and project partners, and ensuring that the social, cultural, and environmental connections to seaweed farming are protected.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Co-designing research outputs, policy documents, and community-led roadmaps for sustainable seaweed aquaculture

  • Leading academic publications and reports for the project

  • Participating in monthly online meetings with country partners and attending in-person workshops and conferences

  • Contributing to SAMS' social science team, supervising students, and delivering guest lectures

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will have expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methods, along with a strong track record of academic publications. They must be able to critically analyze data, apply relevant theories and methodologies, and contribute to the advancement of marine social science research.

Skills & attributes

  • Experience working across disciplines and with diverse knowledge holders

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

  • Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities for junior researchers and students

  • Adaptability to different cultural and social contexts

  • Commitment to ethical research practices and community engagement

Marine, ScientistSophie Stewart