Research Assistant Coral Ecology

Salary: £31,396 to £32,982  per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits . We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 16 February 2024

The Role

The School of Natural and Environmental Sciences is looking to appoint a Research Technician in the area of coral reef ecology for 4 months in the Group of Dr. James Guest at Newcastle University, as part of his recent CORDAP award entitled “Quantifying and operationalising genetic adaptation for successful coral restoration (CORALADAPT)”.

CORALADAPT is an ambitious project that aims to estimate adaptation of coral heat tolerance for a diversity of reef environments and coral species. The project will also provide detailed guidance on how restoration can be designed to maximise adaptation potential. Thus, we will provide the first blueprint for using restoration to build climate resilience in corals. Outputs will shape national restoration policy in the Philippines and Palau and be communicated globally. 

You will be responsible for supporting the PI and Postdoctoral Research Associates with the setup of field and lab experiments as well as assisting with the day to day running of all aspects of diving field work. Our objective, in collaboration with world-leading partners in Australia, Palau and the Philippines, is to develop and apply state-of-the-art techniques for incorporating adaptation into reef restoration planning. The work will involve periods of diving field work in the Philippines and Palau. You will be working with an international team of scientists, and you will be expected to work closely with a wide range of stakeholders. 

For further information about our research please see the Coralassist Lab website 

For more information on the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences Click here  

For informal enquiries please contact Dr. James Guest [email protected].  

We are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment and we would be happy to discuss arrangements for flexible and/or blended working.

Applications should be made through the Newcastle University jobs portal: https://jobs.ncl.ac.uk , where you are invited to provide evidence of how you meet the essential criteria required for the role outlined in ‘The Person’ by uploading a letter of application along with your Curriculum Vitae (CV).

This role is fixed term.

Key Accountabilities

• To assist with field and lab experiments as well as assisting with the day to day running of all aspects of diving field work
• To spend significant periods at remote field sites
• To conduct diving and snorkelling field work as well as ex situ aquarium research work
• To liaise with the principal investigator to plan, organise and carry out the work programme
• To communicate clearly with the PI, PDRAs and a diverse group of stakeholders
• Undertake relevant training and development activities in order to develop an awareness of own professional development needs
• Any other duties within the scope and general nature of the grade which may be required

The Person Knowledge, Skills and Experience 

• Experience setting up and conducting lab and aquarium experiments
• Experience conducting realistic long-term heat stress assays on corals
• Experience of extensive field work at remote tropical field stations
• Experience selectively breeding corals and demonstrated success in rearing selectively bred corals until reproductive maturity
• Extensive experience of standard techniques for restoring reefs using coral sexual propagation

Attributes and Behaviour

• Comfortable working both individually and within a team
• Capacity for original thought
• Enthusiasm and a strong work ethic
• Ability to interact with researchers with different cultural backgrounds
• Ability and willingness to work in interdisciplinary environments
• Well-developed interpersonal communication skills that enable you to engage external and internal stakeholders and work effectively in a multidisciplinary team.

Qualifications

• An undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in biology, ecology or marine biology
• Scuba diver with minimum qualification of PADI Divemaster or equivalent

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution. We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population. At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are aDisability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 26702