Post-Doctoral Researcher, MaREI/ Environment Research Institute

9 Months, Fixed-Term, Whole-time Post

Position Summary

University College Cork’s (UCC) MaREI centre is Ireland’s premier SFI centre for Energy Climate and Marine. MaREI is a key research centre within UCC’s Environmental Research Institute (ERI), which is an internationally recognised Institute for environmental research dedicated to the understanding and protection of our natural environment and to developing innovative technologies, tools and services to facilitate a transformation to a zero carbon and resource efficient society. The MaREI Centre is an SFI funded research centre headquartered in the ERI and includes 13 other Universities and Third Level Institutes from across Ireland, has 50 industrial partners and has accumulated research funding of approximately €60m. It combines the expertise of a wide range of research groups and industry partners, with the shared mission of solving the main scientific, technical and socio-economic challenges across the climate, energy and marine spaces.  MaREI is also funded by SEAI, EI, EPA, ERDF, EU, HEA, Marine Institute, DCCAE and IRC, as well as through contributions from our industry partners. Researchers in the MaREI Centre have over 30 years of experience in conducting fundamental and applied research supported by competitively won national and international funding, and commercial contracts with government agencies and industry. MaREI’s strengths lie in the multi-disciplinary nature of its research teams, allowing it to combine insights across areas such as MRE Technologies, Materials & Structures, Observations & Operations, Coastal & Marine Systems, Bioenergy, Energy Policy & Modelling and Renewable Energy Management.

UCC MaREI has been actively involved in research & development projects using active and passive acoustics for the past 20 years. This includes numerous investigative studies undertaken by the Marine Ecology Group using passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) to assess marine mammal populations and movements. MaREI researchers have also played a pioneering role in the development of combined active sonar and optical techniques for detailed seabed mapping and environmental monitoring under longstanding joint industry programmes in close collaboration with the Marine Institute and Geological Survey of Ireland. More recent work has focused on the development of Risk Based Approaches to Good Environmental Status (RAGES). RAGES was funded by DG MARE with participation of key Irish marine policy advisors from the DHPLG plus European counterparts to address MSFD Descriptors D11 on underwater noise and D2 for invasive species. Current projects in collaboration with UCC dept of Zoology also include ObSERVE 2 (distribution and abundance of cetaceans and seabirds), Cetus (Cetacean, Elasmobranch, Turtle and Seabird distribution modelling platform supporting the sustainable development of offshore renewable energy) and eWHALE (using environmental DNA to monitor cetaceans).

The successful candidate will directly support the project’s PI in attaining the objectives of the GOMOREUS project which are to deliver a set of harmonised and unified evidence-based guidance, based on European best practice for the management of underwater noise to ensure ORE development in Ireland is compliant with EU legal obligations for the management of underwater noise.

Specific objectives of the work are to produce:

1. Updated procedures to ensure the management of underwater impulsive noise compliant with the Habitats Directive.

2. “Do not exceed” criteria for impulsive noise in the deployment and demobilisation of offshore renewable energy infrastructure.

3. Technical specifications for the reporting of underwater noise for the purposes of reporting in Environmental Impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessment.

4. How to mitigate for underwater noise.

5. Monitoring requirements for developers.

Project Title: GOMOREUS- Guidance on Managing Offshore Renewable Energy Underwater Sound 

Post Duration: 9 months

Salary:  €42,781 – €49,177 p.a. (IUA PD1 Salary Scale)

For an information package including further details of the post see https://ore.ucc.ie/.  

Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Gerry Sutton, MaREI, Email: [email protected]

Applications must be submitted online via the University College Cork vacancy portal (https://ore.ucc.ie/). Queries relating to the online application process should be referred to [email protected], quoting the job-title and project name.

Candidates should apply, in confidence, before 12 noon (Irish Local Time) on Friday, 22nd March 2024. 

No late applications will be accepted.

Please note that an appointment to posts advertised will be dependent on University approval, together with the terms of the employment control framework for the higher education sector.

UCC is committed to creating and fully embracing an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated.  As a University we strive to create a workplace that reflects the diversity of our student population where people from a wide variety of backgrounds learn from one another, share ideas, and work collaboratively. UCC is committed to being an employer that recognises the value of diversity amongst its staff.  We encourage applicants to consult our policies at https://www.ucc.ie/en/edi/policies/ and initiatives at https://www.ucc.ie/en/edi/implementation/ and we welcome applications from everyone, including those who are underrepresented in the protected characteristics set out in our Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy. 

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER