Social Science Researcher - Biosecurity / OneHealth

Location: Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Athenry, Co Galway, H65 R718; or another Teagasc Research Centre may be considered in Moorepark, Cork or Ashtown, Dublin

Secondary Location: Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland

Research job

Salary:  Research Officer with a Salary Scale of €39,683 to €75,761

Closing Date: 22/05/2024 12:00 PM  

Funded

Full Time

Job Description

Duration:

Temporary externally funded non Grant-in-Aid contract post, the indicative duration of which is 30 months, subject to contract.  A panel may be formed from which future similar vacancies may be filled; such a panel will remain active for a maximum period of 12 months.

Basic Function:

The successful candidate will join the Department of Agri-Food Business and Spatial Analysis within Teagasc’s Rural Economy and Development Programme which is based in Dublin and Galway. They will work closely with colleagues in the Pig Development Department, within the Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc in Cork. Consideration will be given for the candidate to be based in one of these three locations: Athenry, Galway; Ashtown, Dublin; or Moorepark, Cork solely at the discretion of Teagasc management.

The candidate will be joining a dynamic group of researchers as part of a Horizon Europe project (https://biosecure.eu/) on biosecurity of farm animals. The candidate will work at an EU level with a diverse, international, multidisciplinary group of researchers to ensure the inclusion of social and behavioural science-based perspectives into relevant activities in the project, including a leadership role in setting up and facilitating a multi-actor stakeholder forum to support interactive knowledge exchange, bottom-up behavioural change and uptake of Biosecure’s key exploitable results. (Expertise on biosecurity is not essential but would help). There will be an opportunity for the researcher to travel to other European countries to meet and work with project partners.

Background:

Biosecurity is a key aspect of animal farming to preserve health and welfare of the animals. However, despite the availability of sufficient technical information on how to implement biosecurity, this implementation fails in many cases because of an inadequate interaction between the actors involved (farm staff, farmer, veterinarian, advisors, etc.). Project Biosecure is an EU project with a multidisciplinary approach that will use social science-based research to support the implementation of biosecurity in farms at a EU level.

Job Objectives

• To lead and support the implementation of the multi-actor approach
• To support the execution and analysis of EU-wide farmer and vet attitudinal surveys
• To participate in the design, execution, and evaluation of a national biosecurity participatory behaviour change intervention on farms (including running focus groups, semi-structured interviews and analysing qualitative data).
• To provide training and methodological support on social science based methods for project partners as required.
• To liaise with other project partners to ensure coordinated and timely delivery of project deliverables and progress reports.
• To undertake other tasks as required within Biosecure to fulfil Teagasc commitments to work packages including actively supporting dissemination & communication activities and coordination & management.
• To assist Teagasc in meeting the commitments of the Quality Customer Service Charter and Action Plan.
• To actively participate in the annual business planning and Performance Management Development System (PMDS) processes.
• To fully co-operate with the provisions made for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of oneself, fellow staff and non-Teagasc staff and co-operate with management in enabling Teagasc to comply with legal obligations, including full compliance with the responsibilities outlined in the Safety Statement.
• To carry out other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

* This job specification is intended as a guide to the general range of duties and is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive.  It will be reviewed from time to time with the post holder.

Skills Requirement

Essential Qualifications

• Candidates must have a QQI honours Level 8 degree in social sciences, behavioural sciences, agricultural sciences or a related discipline.

DesirableSkills

• Excellent organization skills, report writing and data analysis.
• Proven record of scientific communications.
• Aptitude for multidisciplinary approaches.

Knowledge

• Demonstrated technical expertise in quantitative and /or qualitative research approaches applied in social/ behavioural sciences.
• Excellent project management, analytical, report writing and data analysis skills.
• An ability to collaborate with team members and PhD students to help build research knowledge and skill and to guide professional development.
• Excellent communication skills (oral, written, presentation) with an ability to enable effective knowledge and technology transfer.
• Ability to generate new ideas, unique concepts, models and solutions.
• Experience in multi-actor approach and participatory research.
• Experience of EU research and innovation projects
• Knowledge in epidemiology methods.
• Experience in setting own research agenda
• Evidence of teamwork and collaboration with relevant partners.

Behavioural Competencies

• Ability to work as part of a team, including consulting, collaborating and building relationships with key stakeholders.
• Strives for high quality of work and demonstrates commitment to the programme.
• Ability to communicate effectively to enable knowledge and technology transfer.

EligibilityThis is an open public competition. Should a current serving Teagasc staff member be successful in their application through open public competition for this post, their current contract of employment with Teagasc will come to an end on taking up this post.

Note:  The ‘essential’ qualifications, knowledge, skills and behavioural competencies outlined above are ‘must-have’ which will be used in the selection process.

Note:  Alternative location(s) may be considered solely at the discretion of Teagasc management.