Open Vacancy: Innovation Manager in Blue Economy

  • August 03, 2020 | by AIR Centre

Location of work to be performed: Terceira, Azores

Contract Duration: 4 years

Apply by: August 25th , 2020 (18h GMT)

The AIR Centre has a vacancy for an Innovation Specialist in Blue Economy. The successful candidate shall work in collaboration with a highly qualified and multidisciplinary team across the AIR Centre organization and network, identifying opportunities of collaboration, establishing new alliances, and developing and proposing value added concepts. In particular, the successful candidate shall engage the AIR Centre participation on the ASTRAL project[1] for the development on an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) Alliance for the Atlantic, propose a road-map (R&D and applications) for the Aquaculture and Mariculture domains as well as supporting the Earth Observation Laboratory (EO Lab)[2] to maximize the use of Earth Observation systems and technologies for the Blue economy.

We are looking for an individual that excels at building relationships with multiple and diverse stakeholders within the aquaculture sector such as: institutional entities (European Commission, World Bank, among others), consumers, citizens, environmental groups, fishers and other targeted audiences. We need someone who is self-motivated and has strong customer service skills with a focus on excellence.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

AIR Centre role in the ASTRAL project is the design and implementation of the IMTA alliance in the Atlantic area. AIR Centre will lead the efforts to map, identify and engage the stakeholders value chain, unlock the value proposition of a transatlantic alliance to essential public and private entities and settle permanent and suitable platforms and organization structures to ensure the legacy of the ASTRAL project. AIR Centre will establish permanent dialogues and interactions with AANChOR, Belem statement and related projects to exchange information, co-create joint activities and promote networking among partners interested in transatlantic interactions. Finally, AIR Centre will also participate in dissemination and legacy activities, helping on the communication to triple Helix, directed especially at policymakers through High-Level Industry-Science-Government Dialogues (HLD) held during the project duration. These are the flagship events of the AIR Centre, involving representatives on a ministerial level from several Atlantic countries.

In addition to roles in the ASTRAL project, AIR Centre Earth Observation Laboratory in coordination with multiple stakeholders is seeking innovative concepts and applications making use of Earth Observation systems and data (in particular European Copernicus satellites and also satellite from other countries), from satellite to in-situ sensors. Such technologies generate daily vast amount of data that need to be processed using state of the art technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and transformed into useful information for the community such as fisheries and environmental authorities.  It is therefore needed to establish and consolidate dialogue, map requirements and needs and support the development of proposals and new concepts that maximize the use and adoption of earth observation systems derived products.

Qualifications and experience requirements:

  • PhD and/or MsC degree and 5 years of professional experience.
  • Experience in working with multicultural and multi-partner environments.
  • Experience in managing competing priorities, with exceptional diplomacy and institutional acumen, and a high level of professionalism.
  • Excellent teamwork, inter-personal and communication skills.
  • Experience in strategic planning, organization and project management.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills (mainly in English, knowledge in Portuguese and Spanish is an advantage).
  • Communicate effectively through oral, written, and visual channels.
  • Must be able to meet the travel requirements of the position.
  • Experience in international relations, management, business or related fields would be an advantage
  • Knowledge in aquaculture and/or sensors and/or Big data and/or deep learning and/or AI would be an advantage.
  • Familiarity with sustainability and blue and circular economy projects within the EU and international context would be an advantage.

Application must be submitted with the following attached documents:

  • Motivation Letter;
  • Detailed Curriculum Vitae;
  • Academic qualification certificates;
  • Professional experience certificates (when applicable);
  • Letters of recommendation (optional, maximum two).

All relevant documentation and requirements must be submitted in one single document and is mandatory to be submitted electronically, in PDF format (according to the following nomenclature: Name-LastName_InnovationManager2020), to the email address recruitment@aircentre.org, indicating in the subject line Vacancy: Innovation Manager in Blue Economy.

Vacancy Description here.

[1] Astral project – ASTRAL (All Atlantic Ocean Sustainable, ProfiTable and Resilient AquacuLture) is funded by the European Union’s H2020  (H2020-BG-2019 – All Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance Flagship – New value chains for aquaculture production) and will deliver breakthrough knowledge and innovations supporting sustainable aquaculture, based on enabling technologies and circular principles, thereby providing the EU, Brazilian and South African aquaculture industries with the competitive advantage and growth stimulation needed to be a mover in revolutionizing global efficiency in fish production and meet society’s needs for ocean food. This ambitious task will be achieved by supporting emerging of profitable and sustainable Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) value chains, based on high-value species, optimal production processes and controlled by state-of-the-art technologies. ASTRAL will also target circular principles and zero waste by qualifying new sustainable organic value chains for feeds, and valorization of by-products. ASTRAL’s innovations will provide important new assets to the consortiums SMEs, fish-farmers and technology providers in the aquaculture sector, leading to market growth and job creation. Assets will be maximized through comprehensive sustainability assessments and engagements with the sector, regulators and consumers.

[2] EO Lab – The Earth Observation (EO) Laboratory has been established and fully operational since September 2019 and comprises a team of highly qualified and multidisciplinary staff in the fields of interest of the AIR Centre. The EO Lab is a dedicated unit of the AIR Centre, located in the TERINOV Technological Park (Terceira island, Azores) and is established as ESA_LAB@Azores, a laboratory to set-up an institutional link between academia, high-tech enterprises, research institutions and European Space Agency to explore innovative applications of space technologies of observation in the Atlantic area.