Call for Applications for 5 Postdoctoral Research Fellows for the University of Stirling FORTH2O project

Ednah Carrick November 20, 2025

0 711 5 minutes read

Closing Date: 2 December 2025

Call for Applications for 5 Postdoctoral Research Fellows for the University of Stirling FORTH2O project

The Partnership Project

Each post is part of FORTH20: a UK Research and Innovation Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) project, focused on the Forth Water Basin, and offering services to support innovation through collaboration. The Partnership is between multiple Universities/Research Institutes and stakeholders including Scottish Government, Scottish Water and SEPA. Forth20 seeks to make a positive difference to the health and wealth of businesses, communities, and natural ecosystems. Year 1 fostered the collaborative generation of new ideas and priorities. Year 2 used those ideas to inform the commissioning of stakeholder-academic projects. Year 3 focuses on project delivery: ensuring that our priorities and projects translate into a coherent set of positive outcomes.

The Roles

University of Stirling is seeking five experienced and highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellows to join the Forth20 team for the delivery phase of the project. Each Research Fellow will support the delivery plan produced by one work package but also work as part of a team of Fellows to support cross-package priorities. Postdoctoral Research Fellows will be essential to key aspects of this work including: to answer work package research questions, foster stakeholder/partner engagement, and co-produce research outputs in a variety of formats for different audiences. Overarching questions regard how to:

Encourage policy change. Understand policymaking ‘bottlenecks’ and anticipate new windows of opportunity for policy change. Ensure that water remains high on policy and planning agendas, and that citizens and communities play a meaningful role
Rethink how we conceptualise and measure value. Support the development of a multidimensional value framework and decision-making tool to capture the economic, environmental, social, emotional, and functional value of water for communities
Encourage cross-industry innovation. Understand best practice in innovation in water-based areas including community energy, tourism initiatives, industry skills need, and business model optimisation. Assist with developing and analysing the ‘water business survey’
Encourage place-based approaches. Identify new opportunities for place-based engagement with nature, such as to focus on the health and wellbeing value of proximity to water (‘blue spaces’) or to encourage oral histories of place that centre water
Support storytelling and stories. Collect and interpret underrepresented stories of the cultural and natural heritage of water in the Forth, using creative and participatory methods to inform shared understandings and shape more inclusive, future-oriented water narratives

Research Fellow Description of Duties

Grade 7

Supporting research, including rapid reviews and new data collection, using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
Analysing policy and policy processes relevant to water
Supporting the innovation/policy challenge ‘labs’ and capacity building programme
Regular communication with research partners, stakeholders and research participants
Managing multiple research objectives and deadlines as part of a research team.
Co-authorship of high-quality reports, presentations to academic and stakeholder conferences, journal articles, and blog posts or other summaries
Attending FORTH20 regular meetings and engaging in routine knowledge exchange with the wider LPIP network
Working closely with the Principal Investigator, Work Package leads, and project management and communications team (such as via attendance at regular planning meetings)

Grade 8

Leading research, including rapid reviews and new data collection, using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
Leading the analysis of policy and policy processes relevant to water
Supporting or leading the innovation/policy challenge ‘labs’ and capacity building programme
Regular communication with research partners, stakeholders and research participants
Managing multiple research objectives and deadlines as part of a research team.
Co-authorship of high-quality reports, presentations to academic and stakeholder conferences, journal articles, and blog posts or other summaries (often as the main author)
Representing FORTH20 at regular meetings and knowledge exchange with the wider LPIP network
Working closely with the Principal Investigator, Work Package leads, and project management and communications team (such as via attendance at regular planning meetings)

Essential Criteria

Grade 7
Qualifications

PhD in a relevant discipline, such as public policy (political science), economics, management, social innovation. public health research, communication, and heritage (or extensive research and knowledge exchange experience to a demonstrated equivalent level)

Knowledge, Experience, Skills & Attributes

Experience of conducting high quality research, independently and collaboratively, within strict timescales
Experience of producing original research and high-quality publications, including significant outputs of internationally excellent standing
Experience of conducting rapid reviews, systematic reviews, or qualitative systematic reviews as part of a team
Experience of effective collection, analysis, and management of data
Experience of effective presentation of research to different audiences, including the ability to engage with policy and practice discussions
Experience of developing and delivering knowledge exchange activities
Have excellent collaboration skills with a diverse range of research partners. Be comfortable talking to a wide range of other stakeholders including policymakers
Have strong attention to detail, including excellent organisation and planning skills, and experience in prioritising multiple tasks and meeting significant deadlines
Be able to critically assess, interpret and evaluate the outcomes of research
Have excellent communication (written and verbal) and other research dissemination skills, including presentation and social media skills
Be skilled in communicating complex and conceptual ideas to those without specialist knowledge in the field
Interpersonal skills, to contribute to a collaborative and respectful research and practice team

Grade 8
Qualifications

PhD in a relevant discipline, such as public policy (political science), economics, management, social innovation. public health research, communication, and heritage (or extensive research and knowledge exchange experience to a demonstrated equivalent level)

Knowledge, Experience, Skills & Attributes

Experience of leading high quality research projects, independently and collaboratively, within strict timescales
Experience of leading the production of original research and high-quality publications, including significant outputs of internationally excellent standing
Experience of managing or conducting rapid reviews, systematic reviews, or qualitative systematic reviews as part of a team
Experience of effective collection, analysis, and management of data
Experience of effective presentation of research to different audiences, including the ability to engage with policy and practice discussions
Experience of developing and delivering knowledge exchange activities
The ability to lead as well as contribute to research projects
Have excellent collaboration skills with a diverse range of research partners. Be comfortable talking to a wide range of other stakeholders including policymakers
Have strong attention to detail, including excellent organisation and planning skills, and experience in prioritising multiple tasks and meeting significant deadlines
Be able to critically assess, interpret and evaluate the outcomes of research
Have excellent communication (written and verbal) and other research dissemination skills, including presentation and social media skills

Desirable Criteria

Grade 7/8
Qualifications

Professional qualification in a place-based or wellbeing role

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Experience of co-production in research and knowledge exchange
Proficiency in qualitative and creative research methods. Familiarity with arts-based methods such as participatory mapping, visual storytelling, or co-creation is desirable
Experience in synthesising multidisciplinary literatures to measure value beyond monetary terms, designing and testing analytical tools with communities, and survey design and analysis
Experience of facilitating the inclusion of diverse sources of knowledge, ideas, and perspectives