Pre-announcement:
NERC will shortly be inviting applications from existing researchers to apply for 3 to 12 month placements based in non-academic organisations. Projects must fall within the NERC remit and must identify clear examples of where environmental research, data and skills can be used to make a difference. Link to Full Information
Call opens: 11 April 2018 - Call closes: 16:00 on 4 July 2018
NERC wishes to award a number of Open Innovation Placements. Placements will work within a host organisation, on a specified project (a selection to be provided once the call has opened) or one of their choosing, which is organised independently of NERC. Researchers will explore and demonstrate how partner organisations can make use of scientific knowledge, data, models or other tools to understand and manage their impacts and/or dependencies on the environment. NERC will cover 100% of the placement's salary on a pro-rata basis, including superannuation, National Insurance and specific allowances, plus travel and other associated costs. Placements cover direct costs only and do not include overheads.
Focus of the placements
NERC science can make an important contribution to economic growth and quality of life. For the UK to remain competitive in a global economy, we need to ensure that scientific advances are translated swiftly into a form that is useful to stakeholders including business, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the government. These stakeholders use NERC research for many purposes, including:
- providing the scientific evidence necessary to inform public policy and business strategy as our environment alters
- protecting people and minimising costs through better forecasting of environmental hazards
- creating wealth by providing business with the starting point for new or improved products, services and solution.
Applications for placements should focus on accelerating and amplifying economic impact and improvements in quality of life from NERC-funded research, by working with business, NGOs or government bodies. This could include:
- strengthening existing partnerships
- developing new relationships that lead to collaborative projects
- researching new market opportunities
- providing case studies of knowledge exchange from NERC-funded research
- providing briefings and reports suitable for policymakers.
Eligibility
Standard RCUK eligibility rules - external link for NERC apply to this call. Applicants must be resident in the UK and be employed by an eligible UK research organisation. Eligible applicants include researchers, at any career stage, who can demonstrate how NERC funded research could be used to make a real difference to non-academic organisations.
For further information please contact:
Tessa Edgecombe
Senior Programme Manager (Innovation)
01793 442610
tjed@nerc.ac.uk