The School promotes and maintains a supportive environment to help all colleagues achieve their full potential. We positively encourage applications from underrepresented groups, for example women and people from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds. We are also supportive of requests for flexible working and to those with caring responsibilities.

The purpose of this role will be to support Dr Matthew Hannaford on the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship project ‘Constructing Climate Coloniality: Histories, Knowledges and Materialities of Climate Adaptation in Southern Africa.’ The fellowship is an ambitious and transdisciplinary project about the emergence, evolution and ongoing forms of climate coloniality in southern Africa, specifically western Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique and southern Malawi. It aims to build new, usable pasts of climate extremes, colonial marginalisation and local agency by drawing upon diverse archival collections and oral history. Through co-production with project partners and local stakeholders, a further key goal is to determine ways to integrate these histories into foresight planning to drive equitable and sustainable climate change adaptation.

The appointee will develop, conduct and publish work on the (trans)formation of knowledges and practices relating to climate in southern Malawi and/or wider southeast Africa during the 19th and 20th centuries. They will also shape and contribute to the project database, co-production workshops and dissemination in the project areas. The position offers an exceptional opportunity for an individual aiming to lead interdisciplinary, high-impact research through collaboration with leading researchers in the field. The successful candidate will be expected to meet regularly with other project members and will be required to travel in the UK and internationally for data collection, co-production and dissemination activities.

The candidate will have a PhD in History, Geography, or a related area. Experience of archival and/or oral history research is essential, as is a research profile in African history and/or environmental/climate history. Experience of organising workshops, co-production, or developing creative outputs (e.g. exhibitions, digital history) is also key. The candidate should have a good track record of publishing in the field. An aptitude for interdisciplinary team working and excellent written and spoken communication skills are essential. 

This full time, fixed term post is available for a duration of 22 months.

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Matthew Hannaford, Future Leaders Fellow, email matthew.hannaford@nottingham.ac.uk. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

Closing Date: 06 Sep 2026
Category: Research and Teaching (R&T)