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Postdoctoral Research Associate  Urban Modelling in History (Living with Machines)

Postdoctoral Research Associate Urban Modelling in History (Living with Machines)

United Kingdom 07 Feb 2021
The Alan Turing Institute

The Alan Turing Institute

State University (United Kingdom), Browse similar opportunities

OPPORTUNITY DETAILS

Total reward
0 $
State University
Area
Host Country
Deadline
07 Feb 2021
Study level
Opportunity type
Specialities
Opportunity funding
Not funding
Eligible Countries
This opportunity is destined for all countries
Eligible Region
All Regions

The Alan Turing Institute is the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence. The Institute is named in honour of the scientist Alan Turing and its mission is to make great leaps in data science and artificial intelligence research in order to change the world for the better.

Position

The project is looking for a Research Associate to develop and apply mathematical and computer modelling methods, with special reference to the economics of cities, using census and related data. The candidate may be from various backgrounds provided they have core skills in mathematics, computing and modelling. As a Research Associate, you will work closely with Professor Sir Alan Wilson and the Urban Analytics Programme Director, Professor Mark Birkin, and the wider inter-disciplinary team based at the Turing Institute. You will play an active part in all aspects of research from data preparation, to the development of research questions, modelling and analysis, and writing up/publication. This is a collaborative research role and so it is crucial that you enjoy working with others within an iterative research process. We hope that the appointed candidate will develop to take ownership of a key strand of work on the project, under the mentorship of the PI and Co-Is.

BACKGROUND

The AHRC-funded project, 'Living with Machines' is looking for a Research Associate to develop and apply mathematical and computer modelling methods to the nineteenth-century cities using census and related data. The candidate may be from various backgrounds provided they have core skills in mathematics, computing and modelling. The appointed candidate will collaborate with a large team working on the social and cultural impact of mechanisation on the lives of ordinary people during the long nineteenth century.

'Living with Machines' proposes a new research paradigm – a radical collaboration between historians, data scientists, geographers, computational linguists, and curators - to harness the growth of digitised archives, and model the effects of mechanisation on ordinary people at the dawn of the modern era. The project, which began in late 2018, uses computational techniques and very large datasets in order to ask questions about the ways in which technology altered the very fabric of human existence on a hitherto unprecedented scale. The project exploits existing corpora of digitised sources (including newspapers, census data, maps, autobiographies, books and journals), as well as digitising its own materials (including newspaper press directories, the Road Acts, and further newspapers). By developing tailored computational approaches and a philosophy of interdisciplinary collaboration the team have developed both a data-driven approach to history, and a human-driven approach to data science.

'Living with Machines' is carried out in partnership between the Alan Turing Institute, the British Library, and the Universities of Cambridge, East Anglia, Exeter and London (QMUL). The project is led by Ruth Ahnert (QMUL), and co-led by David Beavan (The Alan Turing Institute), Emma Griffin (UEA), James Hetherington (UKRI), Jon Lawrence (Exeter), Maja Maricevic (BL), Barbara McGillivray (The Alan Turing Institute and Cambridge), and Mia Ridge (BL), and Alan Wilson (The Alan Turing Institute).

DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

The Research Associate will work closely with the project investigators with the aim:

Requirements

Essential

Desirable

Other information

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you are interested in this opportunity, please click the apply button below. You will need to register on the applicant portal and complete the application form including your CV, covering letter and contact details for your referees. If you have questions about the role or would like to apply using a different format, please contact them on 0203 862 3575, or email recruitment@turing.ac.uk.

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 7 February 2021

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This full-time post is offered on a fixed-term basis for twelve months. The annual salary is £35,000 to £41,000 plus excellent benefits, including flexible working and family friendly policies, https://www.turing.ac.uk/work-turing/why-work-turing/employee-benefits

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant within the salary range £32,000-£34,000 per annum.

Secondments of suitable staff from relevant organisations (business, universities, government or charities) are welcome.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The Alan Turing Institute is committed to creating an environment where diversity is valued and everyone is treated fairly. In accordance with the Equality Act, we welcome applications from anyone who meets the specific criteria of the post regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Reasonable adjustments to the interview process can also be made for any candidates with a disability.

Please note all offers of employment are subject to continuous eligibility to work in the UK and satisfactory pre-employment security screening which includes a DBS Check.

Full details on the pre-employment screening process can be requested from HR@turing.ac.uk

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