The post-holder will conduct research into the development and delivery of neighbourhood-based energy retrofit and heat decarbonisation programmes, with a focus on relational and place-based aspects. This will involve working with communities and delivery agencies to review interventions, delivery mechanisms, outcomes and the role of socio-cultural relations in one, or more, UK case study location.
This position offers an experienced researcher the opportunity to join the internationally-leading, multi-disciplinary UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC). UKERC has occupied a unique space in the UK’s energy research landscape since 2004, creating and applying interdisciplinary, whole systems research to provide high quality and timely evidence and analysis, and deliver impact. In its fifth phase (2024-2029) UKERC will focus on the multifaceted challenge of delivering the energy transition; conducting a programme of interdisciplinary research on how to transition to a sustainable and inclusive net zero energy system whilst enhancing security and affordability, and working with key stakeholders to provide analysis and insights relevant to the challenges facing decision-makers in government, industry and civil society, helping accelerate an equitable transition.
This post is fixed term for 29 months from 1 July 2025. Closing date for applications is 2 June 2025.
The School of Social and Political Science (SPS) is one of the largest and most successful schools of social science in the UK, with global reach and local and global impact. Its goals are to promote excellence in education, research and innovation. The School comprises seven Subject Areas plus a number of research and teaching centres and institutes, and a number of cross-Subject consortia and other units. The academic staff complement currently numbers c.265fte. Our staff profile is multi-disciplinary across the key social sciences with a strong and growing international orientation. The School has c. 2,600 undergraduate and postgraduate taught students on its programmes of study, and c. 250 doctoral researchers.
The School’s primary aim is the advancement and dissemination of knowledge and understanding of social science. We provide an outstanding educational environment and support the highest quality research, tackling some of the world’s greatest challenges. We deliver excellence in discipline-based and interdisciplinary programmes. In addition, as a School, we play a leading role in delivering learning opportunities for students across the University to engage with current global challenges and uncertainties and in equipping students with the social science tools and lenses they need to become active, responsible and critical global citizens and leaders.
In REF 2021, the School returned 100% of its eligible staff from Professors to early career researchers; a strategy that combined excellence with inclusion. All four Units of Assessment to which SPS contributed were rated amongst the top five in the UK for their breadth and quality of research. Overall 39% of our research activity was classified as world leading with a further 47% assessed as internationally excellent. For two of our four Units of Assessment – Politics and International Relations, and Social Policy and Social Work – the whole of the research environment achieved the highest possible rating and was judged to be world leading.
