Animal Behaviour/Animal Welfare Postdoctoral Research Fellows

We have an exciting opportunity for two Animal Behaviour/Animal Welfare Postdoctoral Research Fellows to join our team. You will join us working 35 hours per week, on a permanent basis and will be based from home with travel across the UK when required. In return you will receive a salary of up to £46,581.14 per annum plus excellent benefits.

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity with a nationwide network of adoption and homing centres, volunteer-run branches and charity shops. During 2021, we helped 137,000 cats and kittens. That's the equivalent of around 375 cats a day!

Cats Protection’s Feline Welfare Research team is a relatively small but very friendly and supportive team which provides the charity with scientific domestic cat research expertise and works to increase veterinary, behaviour, welfare and epidemiological knowledge, understanding and decision-making for the benefit of cats and their caregivers. The team’s work is varied and has previously included clinical, epidemiological and human behaviour change studies. The team sits within the wider Feline Welfare department that is responsible for ensuring  the behaviour and welfare, husbandry and treatment of cats in Cats Protection's care, as well as cat care advice for wider stakeholders, is maintained to a high standard at all times.

Responsibilities of our Postdoctoral Research Fellows:

You will be required to work on domestic cat welfare related projects both internally in Cats Protection and in collaboration with academics and other organisations to increase scientific and practical knowledge and data on cat welfare. Priority projects include the development, validation and practical application of cat welfare assessment tools that enable monitoring at individual and population level across different environments, and exploration of links between physical health, behaviour, housing, husbandry and different cat and environment based interventions..

What we’re looking for in our Postdoctoral Research Fellows:

• PhD qualification in animal behaviour, animal welfare, veterinary medicine, biological science or related subject
• Undertaken non-invasive animal behaviour and welfare studies including first author publications
• Worked on both quantitative and qualitative research projects
• Experience of data management and statistical analysis
• Submitted projects for ethical appraisal
• Full clean driving license is essential to access locations that are remote and not accessible via public transport.
• Flexibility to work some evenings, weekends and overnight stays

What we can offer you:

• Salary of up to £46,581.14 per annum 
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Contribution pension scheme
• Life assurance scheme
• Range of health benefits including private medical insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• and more

Join us as one of our Postdoctoral Research Fellows and know you are helping to make a real difference to cats and kittens across the UK!

Closing date: 23 April 2023

Interview date: w/c 08 May 2023

Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early, using the 'Apply' button above, to avoid disappointment. Please note, applications received after the closing date may not be responded to.

Please email recruitment@cats.org.uk if you require any adjustments to be made for you to complete your application or to participate in the recruitment journey.

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