Research Associate – Geospatial Data Analytics

The Research Associate – Geospatial Data Analytics will join our dynamic research group within the Oxford Programme for Sustainable Infrastructure Systems (OPSIS). You will provide geospatial expertise to enable us to advance our research, generate new research results and provide worthwhile insights for decision-makers. Working with domain specialists, you will access innovative data sources, write code and produce analysis and visualisations that assist our research and impact activities.

For example, you will work with rapidly emerging global datasets of infrastructure, including databases of power plants, highways, railways, ports, airports and flight schedules, cable connections, mobile connectivity and large dams, along with multi-sector, multi-region economic datasets. Alongside this you will make use of global economic and population scenarios and datasets of global production sites and supply chains which you will associate with infrastructure networks.

The post-holder will fulfil a variety of duties as listed below. These will evolve with our portfolio of projects, so the post-holder will find themselves working with different colleagues at different times and sometimes on multiple projects at the same time. We anticipate that this will involve:

Researching, accessing and evaluating novel geospatial datasets. Developing innovative tools to combine and clean multiple geospatial datasets related to economic activity and combine them to create novel datasets useful for infrastructure sustainability and risk analysis.

Contributing to a growing number of international projects which have applied OPSIS’ software tools and analytics for sustainable and resilient infrastructure planning. Development of user interfaces and visualisation to enable use of our models and understanding of the results.

Working with sector specialists in in infrastructure modelling to develop novel, robust analytical methods and results.  Working with other researchers on cleaning and standardising large-scale spatial datasets that require combining information for different sources and across different data formats.

The post-holder will report to Tom Russell, who is Senior Research Software Engineer in the OPSIS group. They will interact with researchers in other groups in Oxford, other UK universities and internationally, with whom we are collaborating.

The successful candidate should possess a Hold PhD/ DPhil (or be close to completion) in geospatial data analysis or a field involving network analysis, numerical modelling and/or risk analysis for Grade 7; or hold academic qualifications (ideally relevant Master’s degree or working towards a PhD/ DPhil) and a detailed knowledge of the subject area to be considered a Grade 6 with a commensurate adjustment in either the essential criteria, responsibilities or duties. Proficiency in the use of a high-level programming language (e.g. Python). You will have excellent organisational, teamwork and communication skills. A willingness to collaborate with others and work effectively as a member of a (sometimes distributed) team. Knowledge and experience of good practice in software design and development, including testing, version control, continuous integration, packaging, deployment. The ability to create a well-documented software design; an organised approach to structuring and commenting code. 

There are 2 vacancies one for 12 months and the other for 18 months.

Applications are particularly welcome and encouraged from women candidates and black and minority ethnic candidates who are under-represented in academic posts in Oxford. SoGE is committed to equality and values diversity.

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online. You will be required to upload a CV and supporting statement as part of your online application.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on 12 April 2024, interview will take place week commencing 22 or 29 April 2024