Research Fellow, Integrating Biodiversity and Finance

QUEENS UNIVERSITY BELFAST; Belfast; On-site; USD 40,000 - 80,000

Job description

Organisation/Company: QUEENS UNIVERSITY BELFAST

Research Field: Agricultural sciences, Biological sciences, Environmental science, Geosciences

Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country: United Kingdom

Application Deadline: 14 Apr 2025 - 00:00 (UTC)

Type of Contract: Other

Job Status: Full-time

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

We are seeking a Research Fellow to work on integrating biodiversity and finance within green sector transitions. The post is fixed-term until 30 April 2026.

There is an estimated US$880 billion gap in conservation and environmental mitigation funding globally. Government, philanthropy and conservation charities cover US$120 billion/year yet biodiversity continues to decline. Mobilising private investment, which is presently small, is necessary to plug the massive shortfall. One of the main obstacles to incorporating biodiversity into the private sector is the lack of financial value attributed to biodiversity and biodiversity assets.

This biodiversity focused Research Fellow will work collaboratively with two other Research Fellows (one in finance, the other in economics) to assess the evidence necessary to incentivise private investors in funding Nature-based Solutions (NbSs), with a focus on measurable biodiversity outcomes.

Together, the Research Fellows will analyse linkages and drivers within the Finance-Biodiversity Nexus to assess opportunities and impediments to progress including suitable biodiversity metrics; the role and function of NBSs; identifying barriers and opportunities with respect to marketability within the financial sector.

This project is a collaboration with a wide range of academic partners.

About the person:

• Have, or be about to obtain*, a PhD in Biodiversity, Conservation Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Environmental or Agricultural Economics or related subject area. (*must be obtained within 3 months of commencement of employment.)
• Hold substantial relevant research experience in the area of biodiversity and/or conservation or agri-environment academia, practice or policy.
• Have a proven track record of critical evaluation of evidence, for example, data collation, gathering case studies, database creation, meta-analysis, systematic review, quantitative statistical analyses.

To be successful at shortlisting stage, please ensure you clearly evidence in your application how you meet the essential and, where applicable, desirable criteria listed in the Candidate Information document on our website.