Research Fellow

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £34,980 to £44,263 with potential progression once in post to £46,974. Grade: 7 

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to May 2028 

Closes: 15^th April 2024

Applicants are invited to apply for research fellow at the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham to work on a project funded by an ERC advanced grant. The research fellow will be working in a team composed of three PDRA fellows, a research technician and two PhD students under the supervision of Prof. Yin Chen. 

Microbes represent the unseen majority of life on Earth, providing crucial ecosystem services to society such as greenhouse gas mitigation. Methanotrophs are ubiquitous in the environment, being key players in the global carbon cycle and the mitigation of methane release from the environment. Over the last decade, advances in omics have allowed a better understanding methantrophs and their role in greenhouse gas metabolism but our ability to predict how environmental change affects their assembly, structure, stability and function in response to climate change is rather limited. In this project, we bring together a novel combination of theoretical elements and a variety of empirical biology approaches to understand methane oxidation in real-world natural freshwater lakes and how methanotroph activity is regulated.

Role Summary

• Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids 
• Operate within area of specialism
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results 
• Contribute to generating funding

Main Duties

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Analyse and interpret data
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods 
• Undertake management/administration arising from research

Person Specification

• First degree in environmental microbiology and normally, a higher degree (PHD) relevant to research area or equivalent qualifications
• Strong skills in meta-omics and associated bioinformatics
• Strong background and experience in the microbiology and ecology of methanotrophs
• High level analytical capability
• Sufficient breadth or depth of specialist knowledge in microbial trace gas metabolism
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
• Proven ability in research and evidence of quality research output in relevant field
• Able to develop a research profile with the ability to publish and/or produce high quality research output
• Experience in cultivating methanotrophs
• Good effective communication (oral and written) skills, presentation and training skills

Informal enquiries to Prof Yin Chen, y.chen.22@bham.ac.uk 

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the above ‘Apply’ button.

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We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.

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