Research Assistant Fire safety engineering - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Description of the workplace

Within the Department of Building and Environmental Technology there are several divisions conducting research and teaching related to society's needs for infrastructure and construction. As part of this activity, consideration of safety aspects and development of methods for dealing with dangers in society is also included. The width of such safety-related research ranges from ensuring that buildings are designed with satisfactory safety in terms of load-bearing capacity and indoor climate to safety in the event of accidents and fires. The activity is not limited to the built environment alone, but also includes other accident types such as landslides, natural disasters and forest fires. Research and education are then about understanding the phenomena that cause accidents and to develop methods to be able to deal with them.

The activities are carried out in smaller research groups often connected to a certain subject area. But the work is also characterized by interdisciplinary activities in both research and education. Within the immediate group, fire safety engineering research is conducted and the group consists of around 20 researchers and administrative staff. Most have their workplace in Lund, but some staff have their workplace in another location.

The work environment is characterized by commitment, cooperation, creativity and personal responsibility. It is stimulating work with varied tasks, which is why there are good opportunities for professional development.

We offer

Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme.

Read more on the University website about being a Lund University employee Work at Lund University

Work duties and areas of responsibility

The research assistant will be engaged in the EU-funded WUITIPS project. This is an international project led by the Polytechnic University of Catalunya (Spain) and including Efectis (France), Diputació de Girona (Spain), Lund University (Sweden) and Entente pour la forêt méditerranéenne (France). The work duties are part of the project related to Human Vulnerability and protection and includes developing guidelines aimed at reducing people's vulnerability in case of a wildfire emergency in touristic areas.

The research assistant will typically work with topics like:

• - Characterization of behavioural profiles/archetypes of tourists, i.e. assess how do they differ from “standard” population?
• - Review of Human Behaviour in past incidents in touristic areas, particularly focusing on case studies in France.
• - Design a conceptual human behaviour model for fires in touristic areas.
• - Assessment/use of existing wildfire evacuation simulation tools.
• - Development of guidelines for human protection.

The work includes case studies in the border region between France and Spain in collaboration with the partners located there.

Qualifications

Requirements for employment are:

• A Fire Safety Engineering degree at university level or being enrolled in a Fire Safety Engineering master programme or equivalent.
• A very good oral and written proficiency in English. 
• A good oral and written proficiency in French.
• Good ability to use MS Office or similar.

Additional qualifications for the position are:

• Knowledge in the area of human behaviour in fire situations.
• Experience of international environments (e.g., through international education or similar)

Further information

The position is a fixed term position for four months at 100 per cent of full time and starting by agreement, although not beyond July 1 2023. An interview will be held to obtain further information. Interviews will be held in Lund or remotely via Zoom. Contact person for the position is Dr Enrico Ronchi and the division of fire safety engineering, enrico.ronchi@brand.lth.se.

How to apply

Applications are to be submitted via the University’s recruitment system. The application should include a personal letter justifying your interest in the position and how it matches your qualifications. The application should also include a CV, degree certificates or equivalent and any other document to which you would like to draw attention (copies of grade transcripts, details of referees, letters of recommendation, etc.).

Welcome to apply!