Victoria University of Wellington Hiring for Research Assistant- Biology Job at Wellington Full Time

• Are you a biologist with knowledge of plant ecophysiology?
• Are you keen to be part of a game-changing building design project?
• Are you keen to be part of a national research project?

Mō Te Herenga Waka – About our University

Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington is a global-civic university with our marae at our heart. This iho draws off our heritage and is further defined by our tūrangawaewae, in particular Wellington, Aotearoa, and the Asia-Pacific, all of which are expressed in our position as Aotearoa New Zealand’s globally ranked capital city university.

Our core ethical values are respect, responsibility, fairness, integrity, and empathy. These core ethical values are demonstrated in our commitment to sustainability, wellbeing, inclusivity, equity, diversity, collegiality, and openness. With, and as, tangata whenua, we value Te Tiriti o Waitangi, rangatiratanga, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga, whaimātauranga, whanaungatanga, and akoranga.

Kōrero mō te tūranga – About the role

Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington is currently recruiting a Research Assistant in the School of Architecture on a 1-year contract at 0.2EFT for a flat fee of $10,000 or at 0.4 FTE (16 hours per week) for a flat fee of $20,000. The contract can be extended upon the successful delivery of research goals.

The position is defined within a team of researchers working on a Science for Technological Innovation Project*. The role will involve conducting research based on the thermal adaptation mechanisms of plants. The research will investigate the responses of plants to the environmental factors of light, temperature, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, wind, and relative humidity. The focus will be on identifying the existing mathematical functions/equations and other relevant algorithms that represent such responses.

It is desirable to have knowledge of the physiological mechanisms that underlie plant ecology. It is also important to have some expertise in understanding and analysing lab reports and interpreting the results.

*About the project: This project will develop a conceptual framework using computer modelling based on plant thermal adaptation strategies. It will then develop a computational technique to evaluate the energy performance of the exterior of buildings. The digital module will be tested through a physical model.

Key responsibilities include the following:  

• Conducting a comprehensive literature review on the thermoregulatory responses of plants to the environmental factors of light, temperature and humidity
• Identifying the corresponding thermoregulatory equation(s) or measured data
• Recording and classifying the resulting data and presenting them in a concise and accessible manner
• Communicating research results to other professionals
• Providing assistance to other research staff working on the same project

Eligibility

You need to be an ECR/emerging researcher who has spent no more than seven (7) years full-time equivalent in an active research role after completing your masters or PhD degree. Applicants must be New Zealand based and NZ university graduates.

Ō pūmanawa – About you

We are looking for a highly motivated, well organised, hardworking team player who is passionate about plants and interested in building performance. You also need to be able to work independently and maintain records of your work. An ability to communicate well with others including the team leader and being meticulous in your work is essential for this role.

You will need effective time management and forward planning to achieve deadlines. The ability to remain calm under pressure and thrive when working with a diverse range of people is ideal.

Key requirements include the following:  

• Having a postgraduate degree in a relevant subject, such as ecology, biology or botanical sciences
• Having analytical thinking and reasoning skills
• Having excellent verbal communication skills
• Having the ability to work as part of a team as well manage individual responsibilities

It will be highly advantageous to:

• be familiar with leaf thermoregulation strategies and the associated physiological, morphological responses to change in the microclimate (e.g leaf photosynthesis and transpiration)
• have a successful track record of research in the broad field of botany/ecology.

Ētahi kōrero hai āwhina i a koe – Why you should join our team

Our research team is diverse and works in a collaborative style to achieve our research goals. It offers the opportunity to increase your research skills and knowledge of building science through development of an innovative building envelope. We also offer opportunities to disseminate our research findings to the public, to scientific audiences at conferences, and via high impact publications.

Job Type: Part-time

Schedule:

• Flexible hours

Application Deadline: 25/04/2022
Expected Start Date: 01/06/2022