Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Livelihoods & Institutions

The Natural Resources Institute (NRI) (www.nri.org) is an internationally renowned multi-disciplinary research centre within the University of Greenwich that undertakes research, consultancy and training to support sustainable development, food security, economic growth and poverty reduction in developing countries.

The Livelihoods and Institutions Department at the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Impact Officer to help design and implement SDG‑aligned prosperity and peace solutions in fragile settings. The postholder will conduct high‑quality research in collaboration with communities and institutional partners to co‑design and test practical interventions that enhance environmental stewardship and the R3 (livelihood rehabilitation, community reconstruction and population resettlement), advancing prosperity and peace across the Lake Chad region. They will publish in top‑tier journals and lead impact activities that generate measurable policy, practice, and community benefits.

“SDG-aligned prosperity and peace solutions” refers to practical interventions that advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (especially the 5Ps: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, Partnerships) while addressing fragility and conflict. In concrete terms, this means:

• Prosperity: Livelihood recovery, sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction (SDG 1, 8)
• Peace: Conflict transformation, community reconstruction, resilience-building (SDG 16)
• Planet: Environmental stewardship, climate adaptation (SDG 13, 15)
• Solutions in fragile settings: Co-designed toolkits, institutional capacity assessments, R3 interventions for the Lake Chad region.

The successful candidate will be highly ambitious, bringing expertise in interdisciplinary, applied research related to conflict transformation and peace‑centred development, with a deep understanding of institutional arrangements that enable the creation and maintenance of equitable, inclusive, and sustainable societies. They will have a demonstrated ability to translate research into high‑impact publications and to analyse large datasets and identify key impact bottlenecks. The postholder will show a strong work ethic, curiosity to learn, and sound judgement in knowing when to take initiative and when to seek advice, consistently performing at a high level.

This 24‑month position is part of the UKRI‑funded Prosperity and Peace Pathways Project.

For an informal discussion about the post please contact Dr Uche Okpara. u.t.okpara@gre.ac.uk 

Should you have any recruitment related queries please contact the People Directorate Operations Team on peopleoperationsadmin@greenwich.ac.uk 

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To apply, please visit the University of Greenwich vacancies page and complete all details, including the supporting statements (please note attached CVs and personal statements will not be seen by the recruitment panel at the application stage). Current Vacancies - Jobs at Greenwich 

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