Research Fellow in Mechanosensing

Location: Leeds - Main Campus

Working time: 100% - We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements

Contract type: Fixed term (On a 3 year basis)

This role will be based on the university campus with scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are also open to discussing flexible working arrangements.

Are you an ambitious researcher looking for your next challenge? Do you have an established background in  mechanosensing, engineering, or biomechanics? Do you want to further your career in one of the UKs leading research intensive Universities?

We are inviting applications for a Research Fellow to join a BBSRC-funded project exploring mechanosensing and flight in insects. This exciting role is based in the Comparative Biomechanics Group at the University of Leeds, with close collaboration with partners at the Royal Veterinary College and Imperial College London,

Animals rely on sensory input to guide their movements, but sensing and processing information is energetically costly. Rather than collecting vast amounts of data, evolution has favoured efficient, smart sensing—measuring only what’s necessary, when it’s necessary. This project aims to uncover the principles behind this efficiency by developing a general model of wing mechanosensing, revealing how sensor distribution and morphology have co-evolved with flight dynamics.

The successful applicant will:

• Measure multi-scale body and wing kinematics across different fly species.
• Test hypotheses about species-specific sensor placement.
• Investigate how sensor locations align with aeroelastic strain patterns during flight.

The University of Leeds and the Faculty of Biological Sciences are committed to providing equal opportunities for all and offer a range of family friendly policies. The University is a charter member of Athena SWAN (the national body that promotes gender equality in higher education), and the Faculty of Biological Sciences has attained a Silver award.  We are proud to be an inclusive Faculty that values all staff, and are happy to consider job share applications and requests for flexible working arrangements from our employees. Our Athena SWAN webpage provides more information.

Salary Requirements of the Skilled Worker Visa Route

Please note that this post may be suitable for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route but first-time applicants might need to qualify for salary concessions. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.

For research and academic posts, we will consider eligibility under the Global Talent visa. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/global-talent

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Simon Walker, Associate Professor in Comparative Biomechanics

Email: s.m.walker@leeds.ac.uk

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