Research Fellow (112306)

Warwick; Coventry; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Generous holiday allowance

Learning and development opportunities

Onsite childcare facilities

Flexible working

Job summary

Warwick University’s School of Life Sciences invites applications for a Research Fellow on a full-time fixed-term contract ending 30 September 2029. You will join the Lehtovirta-Morley group to work on a NERC-funded project examining microbial cooperation and nitrogen cycling in soil, focusing on ammonia-oxidising and denitrifying microbes using molecular and gas chromatography methods.

Applicants should have a PhD in environmental or molecular microbiology or near submission, with independence

Qualifications

• PhD or near submission in environmental/molecular microbiology.
• Experience with ammonia-oxidising microorganisms and gas chromatography.
• Ability to work independently and produce outputs/publications.

Responsibilities

• Work on a NERC-funded project on microbial interactions and nitrogen cycling.
• Investigate ammonia-oxidising and denitrifying microorganisms in soil.
• Publish findings and report progress on a regular timescale.

Skills

Environmental microbiology

Molecular microbiology

Gas chromatography

Microbial cultivation

Education

PhD in microbiology or related field

Job description

Full time Salary Range: £36,320.00- £46,970.00per annum

About the Role

We are looking to recruit a Research Fellow on a full-time, fixed-term contract ending no later than 30 September 2029. An extension beyond 30 September 2029 is subject to approval from the funder (NERC).

KEYWORDS: – [ammonia oxidation, environmental microbiology, molecular microbiology, biogeochemical cycling]

Project overview:

Applications are invited for a Research Fellow position to work on a NERC-funded project titled “Partners in crime: Does microbial cooperation exacerbate nitrous oxide emission from soil?”. The aim of the project is to understand how microbial interactions influence nitrogen cycling and N2O production from soil.

Ammonia oxidising microorganisms play a key role in the global nitrogen cycle, and are of major significance to climate change, food production and sustainable agriculture. Little is known about how ammonia oxidising microorganisms interact with other microorganisms in soil, and how these interactions and cooperation influence N2O flux. This research project will investigate the nature of interactions and nutrient exchange between ammonia oxidising and denitrifying microorganisms.

The results will help understand the roles of nitrogen cycling microorganisms in the environment, and provide fundamental, novel insights into the global biogeochemical nitrogen cycle.

Please note this is an on-campus based role due to the nature of the work, therefore we cannot accommodate any work from home.

Any requests for further information about the role can be directed to Prof. Laura Lehtovirta-Morley ([e-mail]).

About You

We are looking for someone with expertise in environmental microbiology but we also welcome applications from people with expertise in molecular microbiology including RNA-based techniques. Applicants should be proficient in microbial cultivation and gas chromatography. You must have a high degree of independence so that you can carry out research tasks and realise outputs (including publications).

If you have not yet been awarded your PhD but are near submission or have recently submitted your PhD, any offers of employment will be made as Research Assistant at the top of level 5 within the University grade structure. Upon successful award of your PhD and evidence of this fact, you will be promoted to Research Fellow on the first point of the level 6 of the University grade structure, unless exceptional experience applies to warrant a higher salary.

About the Department

School of Life Sciences

For further information about the School of Life Sciences please see our website at

You will join the Lehtovirta-Morley research group in the School of Life Sciences at Warwick University. We are a diverse group of interdisciplinary scientists who study the ecology, physiology and biochemistry ammonia oxidation.

You will assist the Project Leader in the successful execution of the research project, carefully following the planned timescale and reporting at regular intervals.

The School of Life Sciences (SLS) has world-leading research in microbiology including environmental microbiology and biogeochemical cycling, plant-microbe interactions, microbial biochemistry and metabolism, and structural microbiology.

All across SLS our research is supported by cutting-edge experimental and computational facilities, including genomics, proteomics, high-performance computing, advanced confocal, flow cytometry, light and electron microscopy facilities and bioinformatics.

Warwick has a Sustainability Spotlight and an interdisciplinary cross-faculty working group (Warwick Environmental Systems Interdisciplinary Centre (WESIC)) focused on climate change and sustainability, with aims of which this work is aligned. We and the wider University of Warwick environment offer substantial opportunities for professional development including regular opportunities to attend international conferences.

We believe that collegiality, openness, inclusivity and diversity are essential for an excellent research and teaching environment. Our workplace ethic has enabled us to gain the Athena SWAN Silver award. We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourage applications from all groups with protected characteristics traditionally under-represented in STEM fields. As part of our ongoing commitment to addressing gender equality under the Athena Swan chartermark, we would particularly encourage and welcome applications from female academics.

We will provide you with a great range of benefits, which include an attractive pension scheme, a generous holiday allowance plus Christmas closure, excellent learning and development opportunities, and savings on a wide range of products and services. We offer a generous maternity/paternity/adoption/parental leave policy, and onsite childcare facilities.

We recognise the importance of a healthy work/life balance and offer you access to flexible working, for more information.

If you are considering relocating to the UK, read our Relocation Guide to find out more about what Warwick has to offer and what might be involved in the process.

Warwick is committedto building an organisation ofmutual respectanddignity, promoting awelcoming, diverse, and inclusive workingand learning environment. We recognise that everyone is different in a variety of visible and non-visible ways, and that those differences are to berecognised, respected, and valued. Where possible, we go beyond legislation to provide a place where everyone can thrive, supporting all staff to achieve their full potential. We aspire to remove economic, social, and cultural barriers that may otherwise prevent people from succeeding.

We therefore welcome and encourage applications from all communities regardless of culture, background, age, disability, sex/gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion/belief, or sexual or romantic orientation. To find out more about our social inclusion work at Warwick visit our webpages here .

The University currently holds aRace Equality Charter Bronze Award,Athena Swan Sliver Awardand aDisability Smart Bronze Award.Further information on all of the University's Awards and Accreditations can be found here . The University of Warwick is also one of the six founder institutions of the EUTOPIA European University Alliance .

Right to Work in the UK

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