Research Assistant in monitoring environmental drivers of AMR

About the role:

We are looking for a passionate Research Assistant to lead the development of tools and methods for water and sediment sampling to investigate the role of Changing Population Density, Sanitation Infrastructure (including from healthcare setting) and different land uses (influenced by antibiotic use in animals, agricultural production, and natural fauna), as well as the role of treated sewage discharges (or untreated sewage from combined sewer overflows increasing due to climate change) or the spread to land of biosolids from sewage treatment and agricultural runoff (animal contribution and density of grazing animals, as well as chemicals with greater impact during heavy rains to understand the relative importance of primary drivers and pathways of AMR selection in various environmental contexts and diverse geographical settings.

What you would be doing:

You will be responsible for planning and carrying out research aligned with the project goals, collaborating closely with Professor Nick Voulvoulis, his postdocs, and the project's partners. Investigate sources of resistance in the environment as well as the pathways that lead to human exposure to identify critical points of interaction and transmission, and how these are influenced by climate change. You  will identify hotspots where resistance is likely to emerge or spread considering environmental parameters and the input of antibiotic residues from agricultural runoff and Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) to  establish risk factors such as antimicrobial usage intensity, population density, proximity to pollution sources and high-risk ecosystems, as well as incorporating socio-economic considerations, to rank hot spots and inform the creation of centralized, global AMR data repository integrating hotspot-specific surveillance data from multiple sectors.

You will also assist in writing research reports, preparing publications for refereed journals, and contributing to external funding applications. As a member of the Centre for Environmental Policy, you will be joining a unique centre of excellence in environmental research, education and policy development. You will also be part of the Fleming Initiative, run under the Directorship of Professor Alison Holmes,  which offers an innovative approach to the challenge of AMR – combining research, behaviour change, public engagement, and policy to provide real-world solutions that work to protect the health security of local populations around the world. 

What we are looking for:

• Research Assistant: A first / Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a field relevant to environmental  or natural sciences.
• You should have a strong background in environmental science, environmental technology and systems, with practical experience of environmental monitoring and assessment, environmental data processing and analysing sequence data.
• You should have excellent written communication skills and the ability to write clearly and succinctly for publication.

What we can offer you:

• Opportunity to work on a groundbreaking project with leading experts in the field
• A collaborative, interdisciplinary department within a world-class institution
• Competitive salary and benefits package, including 38 days of annual leave
• Fixed-term contract for 36 months, starting in January 2025

Further Information

This position is based at our South Kensington campus, and candidates who have not yet completed their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant within a salary range of £43,003 - £46,297 per annum.

If you require any further details on the role, please contact: Professor Nick Voulvoulis - n.voulvoulis@imperial.ac.uk.

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