Postdoctoral Research Fellow

University of Exeter; Devon and Torbay; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading university in the UK is seeking a Postdoctoral Impact Fellow to support biodiversity renewal research. This full-time position requires strong communication skills and a PhD or equivalent experience. You'll collaborate with industry partners to promote sustainable business practices. The starting salary is from £42,632, with a deadline for applications encouraged.

Qualifications

• Experience working at the interface of research and practice.
• Ability to translate complex evidence into engaging outputs.
• Demonstrated impact and knowledge-translation experience.

Responsibilities

• Support translation and dissemination of research to business audiences.
• Engage with stakeholders including businesses and the finance sector.
• Coordinate multiple partners, tasks, and timelines.

Skills

Strong communication and writing skills

Experience working collaboratively

Organisational and project-management skills

Proactive and creative approach

Interest in business sustainability

Education

PhD or equivalent professional experience

Job description

This full-time role is available immediately on a fixed-term basis until 30th January 2027.

The post

The University of Exeter wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Impact Fellow to participate in the project “Renewing biodiversity through a people-in-nature approach (RENEW)”, which seeks to develop solutions to one of the major environmental challenges for humankind: the renewal of biodiversity (renewbiodiversity.org.uk). Based in the Geography Department, the Impact Fellow will support the translation and dissemination of RENEW research to business and finance audiences. This post is funded through the UKRI‑NERC Changing the Environment Programme and contributes directly to RENEW’s Theme 4 (Business and Finance).

Based in the Department of Geography, the successful applicant will work closely with colleagues across the Business School and Engineering, and with partners from industry, finance, and conservation. The post will play a pivotal role in helping to deliver the next phase of RENEW’s Theme 4 work—moving from research production to real‑world impact. This comes at a crucial time when businesses are increasingly being called upon to report on their nature‑related impacts.

Working closely with the Theme 4 team and wider RENEW partners and collaborators, including the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Business for Nature, and high‑profile organisations such as the World Economic Forum, the post holder will support and promote an accessible entry point for businesses and the finance sector to understand and visualise their impacts on biodiversity.

About you

You will have experience working at the interface of research and practice, ideally within sustainability, biodiversity, environmental management, or communications. You will be able to translate complex evidence into clear, engaging outputs for professional audiences such as business leaders, investors, and policymakers.

You will need to demonstrate:

• Strong communication and writing skills, with the ability to create high‑quality, audience‑specific materials.
• Proven experience of working collaboratively across disciplines and with non‑academic stakeholders.
• Organisational and project‑management skills to coordinate multiple partners, tasks, and timelines.
• A proactive and creative approach to engagement, capable of convening discussions and synthesising insights from diverse sources.
• An interest in or familiarity with business sustainability, biodiversity, or environmental decision‑making.

A PhD or equivalent professional experience is required, but importantly you need to demonstrate impact and knowledge‑translation experience / potential with interests in corporate sustainability or business decision‑making. Applicants will demonstrate proficient science communication skills and be capable of working collaboratively with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including business and financial managers, environmental scientists, and nature groups. 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.

University of Exeter

The University of Exeter is an equal opportunity employer. We are officially recognised as a Disability Confident employer and an Athena Swan accredited institution. Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented in the workforce.

The starting salary will be from £42,632 on Grade F, depending on qualifications and experience.