Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy

This new full-time Convex/Blue Marine Foundation funded post is available from 3 April 2023 until 31 March 2027 on a fixed term basis.

This role offers the opportunity for hybrid working – some time on campus in Penryn and some from home.

The post

We are recruiting for a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow position to join the Convex Seascape Survey, a five-year, multi-partner, international collaborative investigation of blue carbon on continental shelves https://convexseascapesurvey.com . The overall aim of the project is to explore and quantify the nearshore ocean carbon sink, asking questions such as where is the carbon, how much is there, where did it come from and how is it affected by human activity?

The particular questions to be explored by the Research Fellow include how does human disturbance, such as by trawling and dredging, influence the processes of ‘blue’ carbon uptake, storage and loss from ocean seascapes.

The research will involve extensive fieldwork from boats, both in the UK and overseas, using a variety of techniques including Remotely Operated Underwater Video, Baited Remote Underwater Video, scuba diving, seabed coring and sediment analyses. Questions you will explore include how does human disturbance affect ecological communities that live on the seabed, and how in turn does that influence carbon uptake and storage. Do protected areas enhance carbon uptake rates and promote more secure storage? These questions will be answered by comparing seabed habitats and carbon stocks across gradients of disturbance and by studying protected areas and contrasting disturbed areas nearby.

You will join a growing, interdisciplinary team of people working within the Convex Seascape Survey, based across organisations encompassing science, environmental conservation and industry.

About you

The successful applicant will be responsible for coordinating a small team of researchers, organising field trips, undertaking research and analysing results. You will be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals and make presentations at conferences and other events.

Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study. The successful applicant will be a nationally recognised authority in their field and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role by clicking on the attachment.

What we can offer you

• Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research;
• Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly
• An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development
• Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career

• A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Cornwall.

The University of Exeter

We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 150 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022 and QS World University Ranking 2022). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2017.

Our research income in recent years means we’re the fastest growing UK Research University with some of the world’s most influential scientists, and we seek to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today through this. 98% of our research is of international quality (2014 Research Excellence Framework). We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students. Read about our world leading research – Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

With over 27,000 students and 6,400 staff from 180 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer. Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community. Reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

For further information please contact Professor Callum Roberts: [email protected]