Post-Doctoral Researcher/Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher - School of Engineering and Architecture

Organisation/Company University College Cork Department HR Research Research Field Engineering Researcher Profile Established Researcher (R3) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 22 May 2026 - 12:00 (Europe/Dublin) Country Ireland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 39 Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Please note that this position can be filled at Post-Doctoral or Senior Post-Doctoral level, depending on qualification and experience of the successful candidate.

2 Years, Fixed Term, whole-time Post

Position Summary:

The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that the warming of the climate system is unequivocal and predicts that future changes in climate may lead to increased risk to critical infrastructure. In this context, the aim of the BRACE project, as part of the wider Met Éireann TRANSLATE project, is to create; i) advance the understanding of future extreme weather events in Ireland and ii) develop climate impact and risk assessments for various sectors in the form of risk-based decision support tools. It is intended that these initiatives will help in determining Ireland's future climate risks and assist with climate adaptation planning. The advertised position is concerned with part ii) of the Translate Project i.e. risk-based decision support.

Risk tools can be used to establish the need for climate adaptation based on projected changes in future risks, and the effectiveness of adaptation strategies in reducing climate impacts to acceptable levels. Importantly, the risk approach facilitates incorporation of the high-level of uncertainty and variability associated with climate change, infrastructure performance, and socio-economic parameters. Approaches to risk assessment vary from qualitative to semi-quantitative to quantitative, with each stepped progression providing a greater level of information on which to base adaptation decisions. The proposed research will build upon the work in the previous two TRANSLATE phases through development of more detailed fully quantitative risk assessments, considering cross-sectoral aspects, and compounding/cascading events. This will be achieved in the context of Irish case studies with the critical infrastructure domains.

Role of Researcher:

The postdoctoral researcher will join a highly dynamic, international research team performing leading research in climate adaptation engineering, probabilistic assessment and GIS modelling. The researcher will primarily be based in University College Cork (UCC) but will also work with world-leading academics from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia, and the Irish Centre for High End Computing (ICHEC).

The following are the primary desirable candidate criteria:

• A PhD in Engineering or similar discipline
• Strong engineering and analytical skills
• Computer modelling skills (i.e. MATLAB or Python)
• A comprehensive understanding of statistics/statistical modelling
• Backgrounds in probabilistic modelling and quantitative risk assessment would be an advantage
• A background in flood modelling or drainage system design/modelling would also be an advantage
• The successful candidate will be fluent in both written and spoken English

The primary duties for the post will include numerical modelling, risk analysis and project co-ordination. Publishing of papers in high-ranking academic journals will be a high priority.

It is noted that while the duration of this post is 24 months, extension of this duration is possible through securing further funding.

Achievement of the expected progression within Post Doc and Senior Post Doc is transferable between the Irish HEI's. This can be reflected in the starting pay of a PD researcher. Similarly, as the PD scheme is an intergenerational training scheme completion of PD1 or PD 2 levels in one HEI will normally render that researcher ineligible for appointment at a similar level in another Irish HEI Researcher Career Development Framework Irish Universities Association

Please note that Garda vetting and/or an international police clearance check may form part of the selection process.

Project Title: BRACE: Building Resilience and Adaptation Capacity for future extreme Events.

Post Duration: 2 Years, whole-time Post

Appointment may be made on the Post-Doctoral Researcher: €46,805-€53,391 p.a. (IUA PD1 Salary Scale), or Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher: €54,850-€59,654 p.a. (IUA PD2 Salary Scale).

Salary placement on appointment will be in accordance with public sector pay policy.

University College Cork is committed to being a fully inclusive global university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) are core values under our UCC Strategic Plan . UCC holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advancing equality in higher education. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from everybody, regardless of age, caring giving status, disability, ethnicity, gender and/or gender identity or expression status, nationality, marital status/civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion/creed, and/or sexual orientation. We are committed to supporting all staff through flexible working schemes, family friendly policies, training and development, and staff networks. We value the enrichment that comes from a diverse community and seek to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of each individual in line with equality legislation. We encourage applicants to consult our Dignity and Respect Policy and learn more about our EDI related initiatives.

We encourage you to reach out to us directly should you require assistance or reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

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