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Rights Lab Research Associate/Fellow (fixed-term)

Mathematical Sciences

Applications are invited for a Research Associate (RA) with the University of Nottingham’s Rights Lab, a Beacon of Excellence that is delivering research to help end contemporary slavery. One of the Rights Lab’s flagship projects, RADAR (“Remote Analytics for Development and Antislavery Research”), is advancing mathematical models in support of antislavery research. The RA will work as part of a multidisciplinary team on campus and in partnership with NGOs and private sector data providers across the world. 

The role includes work estimating global slavery prevalence, with statistical models for analysis and inference, and new methodologies for particularly challenging countries. This will involve modelling with stochastic processes, staged regression analysis with censored data, modelling time-series and spatial data, and applying Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods. It will incorporate novel and challenging non-stationary and sparse datasets, including spatial data, event processes in the form of mobile phone data, and time series. The RA will also dig deep into new and existing data to conduct in-depth mathematical analyses around key themes (for example the relationships between slavery and poverty, health, economic sectors and the environment). 

The role also includes work to deliver a country-level index for the UK, with new methodologies that help us to understand the key vulnerability factors to enslavement and bring innovation to estimation techniques. This work with government, NGO and law enforcement will develop a data collection and analysis methodology and will likely include multiple systems estimation and extrapolation algorithms, finance and consumer data, suspicious activity reports, and supply chains data.

The RA will also initiate and execute new research, develop new funding applications in support of the Rights Lab RADAR, coordinate relationships with partners and stakeholders, develop research publications, deliver knowledge exchange towards impact, and contribute to the writing of policy reports. The role will involve travel, engagement with a wide range of antislavery and governmental organisations, and the juggling of new and emergent opportunities. 

We welcome applications from recent PhD graduates or applicants who are close to completion, as well as from applicants with postdoctoral experience. This is a full-time job but we will consider candidates who wish to work part-time working a minimum of 18.13 hours per week. Applications for job share will also be accepted. 

The role is available immediately as a fixed-term post for one year, with the potential for continuation. Interviews will be held approximately two weeks after the closing date. 

The University of Nottingham is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

For information about the School of Mathematical Sciences, which has strong and active research groups, see: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/mathematics/index.aspx. For more information about the Rights Lab, see: www.nottingham.ac.uk/world/beacons/rights-lab. 

Informal enquiries may be addressed to James.Goulding@nottingham.ac.uk. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

Further details:

• Job Description/Role Profile
• Faculty Brochure

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