Senior Research Fellow

The Co-Centre for Climate + Biodiversity + Water is seeking to recruit an experienced and highly motivated Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join our research team and play a leading role as part of a new inter- and transdisciplinary research Co-Centre. Research will span several Schools at Queen’s University Belfast, as well as across partner institutions in the Co-Centre.

The Co-Centre for Climate + Biodiversity + Water is an exciting new tri-jurisdictional initiative spanning Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland and involving 14 partner institutions. The Co-Centre is managed jointly by QUB and Trinity College Dublin and funded by the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), DAERA and UKRI. The Co-Centre aims to be the home of research, innovation, and policy development across the interlinked challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and water quality declines on the islands of Ireland and Britain, with the goal of integrating research across both islands to address these crises.

Research will focus on evaluating and synthesizing evidence regarding the impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, and water quality on ecosystem services and human health. The successful candidate will lead efforts to assess the role of various ecosystems in carbon sequestration, water regulation, biodiversity conservation, and the development of nature-based solutions (NbS) to address societal challenges. The team will explore the application of AI and Large Language Models to the synthesis and recovery of ecological and environmental evidence from the literature.

About the person:

The successful candidate will be expected to support and mentor other research colleagues and will have responsibilities in independent high-level research, supervision and mentoring, planning, collaboration and outreach.

Candidates should have:

• A relevant degree with a PhD completed in Ecology, Environmental Science, Conservation Biology, or a related field.
• A high academic standing with a growing reputation in research within subject specialism.
• Demonstrated experience in ecosystem service or nature-based solutions research, with a strong publication record.
• Experience, achievement and growing reputation in the discipline, reflected in relevant national committee memberships and/or involvement in national research events.
• Experience of developing research methodologies and devising models, approaches, critiques and methods.
• Experience with AI tools relevant to ecological research and proficiency in statistical analysis.
• Strong skills in data management, analysis and synthesis.

To be successful at shortlisting stage, please ensure you clearly evidence in your application how you meet the essential and, where applicable, desirable criteria listed in the Candidate Information.

Fixed term contract posts are available for the stated period in the first instance but in particular circumstances may be renewed or made permanent subject to availability of funding.

What we offer:

Beyond a competitive salary, the University offers an attractive benefits package including a holiday entitlement of up to 8.4 weeks a year, pension schemes and development opportunities. We support staff wellbeing with flexible working options, work-life balance initiatives and support for physical and mental health. You can find more detail on all of this and more at http://go.qub.ac.uk/reward .

Queen's University is committed to promoting equality of opportunity to all. We subscribe to Equality Charter Marks such as the Diversity Charter Mark NI and Athena Swan and have established staff networks such as iRise (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and International Staff Network) and PRISM (LGBTQ+) which help us progress equality. For further information on our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, please visit www.qub.ac.uk/diversity .

Candidate Information

Further information for international applicants