Research Associate (Socially Responsible Earth Observation)
Not disclosed
Salary
Not disclosed by employer
£40,400
Going rate
Skilled Worker going rate
This role may qualify for a Skilled Worker visa
SOC 2115 is an eligible occupation, but we are only 51% sure that is the right code. The University of Manchester is a licensed sponsor, so if the code fits, the role should qualify. Check the occupation eligibility rules against what the job actually involves.
This could also be SOC 2162 (Other researchers, unspecified discipline) or SOC 2119 (Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified). We read the code off the advert, so it is our best guess, not the employer's.
New graduate or PhD holder? Pick one of the lower rates.
What each route needs for this job
| Occupation code | New entrant 70% of going rate | STEM PhD 80% of going rate | Relevant PhD 90% of going rate | Standard rate 100% of going rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2115 Social and humanities scientists Most likely code | £33,400 | £33,400 | £37,500 | £40,400 |
2162 Other researchers, unspecified discipline Also possible | £33,400 | £34,900 | £39,200 | £43,600 |
2119 Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified Also possible | £33,400 | £33,400 | £37,500 | £41,700 |
We use the lowest threshold across the plausible codes. Likelihood is Possible at most when the pay clears only a lower rate, or only under a less likely code. How the Home Office picks the code
About the role
Earth Observation (EO) technologies are enabling agricultural mapping at increasingly large scales and fine resolutions. This brings exciting opportunities to understand complex farming systems, particularly in data-sparse smallholder farming regions. However, recent research has revealed the social risks of EO-based land monitoring. Examples include imperfect representations leading to poorly informed decision-making or biased investments, and marginalised people being made visible through EO in ways which may expose them to harm. There is an urgent need for improved social risk analysis and development of good practice guidance for EO-based agricultural mapping.
As part of the IrrEO project, the PDRA will lead on developing guidance for the socially responsible development and use of EO-based agricultural mapping tools in small-scale farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. They will catalogue existing scholarship and frameworks on the ethical and equitable use of EO in agricultural mapping. They will also carry out document-based and qualitative interview research to identify potential risks of EO-based agricultural mapping in different socio-political and agricultural contexts, focusing particularly on risks to farmers and farming communities. Based on these two workstreams and consultation with the IrrEO partners, they will devise and share strategies for socially response EO-based agricultural monitoring.
The PDRA will be an integral member of the IrrEO project team, working closely with Principal Investigator Prof. Tim Foster (Department of Civil Engineering and Management) and Co-Investigators Dr. Rose Pritchard (Global Development Institute). They will also work closely with a wider team of investigators and postdoctoral researchers at the University of Manchester involved in the IrrEO project and other aligned research on socially-just use of Earth Observation including the Just Earth Observation for Conservation project (JEOC – https://www.justearthobservation.org/) which is co-led by Pritchard and Foster. The role will involve close collaboration with academic and non-academic partners in the project’s case study countries (Kenya, Nigeria, and Ethiopia) and active engagement with UK and international partners including the World Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The IrrEO project is funded by a four-year (2025-2029) investment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Due to the nature of the funding, this post is available for a fixed term of up to 24 months with an end date of 31 August 2029. We are looking for a candidate to start in early 2027, with some flexibility over the exact start date.
(Grades 6-9)
Our benefits include:
- Generous employer contribution pension
We are an open place of enquiry and challenge. We embrace and celebrate difference, diversity and debate, and we pride ourselves on being a place of education, learning and community where we are able, within the law, to question and test received wisdom, express new ideas and explore controversial or unpopular topics and opinions. Find out more from our Freedom of Speech Policy.
Enquiries About The Role, Shortlisting And Interviews
Name: Prof Tim Foster, Professor of Land and Water Informatics and Director of Manchester Environmental Research Institute (MERI)
Email: [email protected]
General enquiries and administrative support
[email protected]
Technical and job portal support
https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home
Applications close at midnight on the closing date.
Further particulars (with person specification) linked below.
This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with The University of Manchester, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
Social and humanities scientists (SOC 2115) · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · basic pay · ~12k in sample- Middle half £29,744–~46,592
- Median £38,168
- Minimum £41,700
- Going rate £40,400
- New entrant £33,400–36,400
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Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. The University of Manchester holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 2115 going rate of £40,400. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.