Postdoctoral Research Associate (Grade 7)

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral scientist to investigate how high temperatures affect male and female fertility across the animal kingdom, by analysing a large data set of published papers collected in the last year.

The climate is warming rapidly, and there is an urgent need to be able to accurately predict how these changes will alter the distribution of species, from disease vectors and crop pests expanding into new areas, to endangered species seeing their ranges shrink. The thermal tolerance of species is often used to predict how populations will respond to warming, based on the temperatures at which organisms die or lose mobility. However, fertility loss often occurs at temperatures far less extreme than those required to kill an organism, and fertility loss may have equally large effects on population health and resilience and species distributions.

We are involved in a large research collaboration seeking to understand how temperature affects animal fertility, which has amassed a database of over 1,500 published papers containing relevant data. Alongside Dr Dougherty and Dr Price, you will lead the analysis of this dataset. You will work as part of a large research collaboration including experts in thermal fertility (Dr Amanda Bretman, Professor Claudia Fricke, Professor. Rhonda Snook) and meta-analysis (Prof. Shinichi Nakagawa, Dr Daniel Noble).

You should have a PhD degree in Ecology, Evolution or a related discipline, and experience of running statistical analyses of large data sets, preferably using meta-analysis methods. The applicant should possess excellent statistical analysis, communication skills and be able to work in a collaborative environment. The post is available for 9 months, and hybrid and remote working arrangements may be considered.

Any applicants who are still awaiting their PhD to be awarded should be aware that if successful, they will be appointed at grade 6, spine point 30.  Upon written confirmation that they have been successful in being awarded their PhD, they will be moved onto grade 7, spine point 31 from the date of their award.

Job Ref: 053478                                                                                         Closing Date: 8 February 2023

For full details and to apply online, please visit: https://recruit.liverpool.ac.uk

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