Research Associate / Senior Research Associate in Peatland Organic Geochemistry

The role

The School of Earth Sciences is seeking to appoint an Open ended with 12-months funding full-time Research Associate or Senior Research Associate in the organic geochemistry of modern and ancient peatland.  The post is part of the international and interdisciplinary project CERES (Climate, Energy and Carbon in the Earth System), which aims to develop new organic geochemical, biochemical and isotopic understanding of modern, past and future microbial processes in peatland, among the most important stores of organic carbon on Earth.  The postholder will be part of the Organic Geochemistry Unit. Supported by outstanding facilities, the CERES Team and our collaborators, they will have the opportunity for analytical innovation, global field work and intellectual creativity.  

The School, OGU and CERES Team are all committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Information on our policies and strategy is available on our websites, and we strongly encourage applications from all backgrounds, especially those historically underrepresented in the Earth Sciences. We are committed to providing mentorship and an inclusive working environment and are exploring how to embed decolonial practice in our research and teaching.  

Please include a full CV and a brief (1-page) cover letter that includes i) a statement on how CERES will build on your previous experience and ii) how you will contribute to a collegial, inclusive and equitable community. For further information, see: 

School of Earth Sciences (including EDI page): http://www.bristol.ac.uk/earthsciences/  

OGU: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/chemistry/research/ogu/ 

CERES: https://richpancost.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2022/09/11/ceres-climate-energy-and-carbon-in-ancient-earth-systems/ 

What will you be doing?

The postholder will be responsible for the development of methods to characterise peat OM and determine how that governs the intact polar membrane lipids of bacteria.  It is envisioned that this will provide new insights into modern and ancient peatland carbon cycling – as well as carbon cycling in degraded and restored peatlands. The postholder will have a senior role in the team and have opportunities to mentor and supervise students; they will be supported by a dedicated technician as well as the outstanding OGU Facilities.  They will also have opportunities to explore a wide range of peatland organic geochemistry and biogeochemistry questions, participate in or lead field work, and develop their own scientific and interdisciplinary ideas, including the co-production of knowledge with local communities and partners. 

You should apply if

The candidate should have: 

• A good honours degree (or equivalent) in Chemistry, the Earth Sciences or a related subject 
• Ideally hold a PhD in Analytical Chemistry, Organic Geochemistry, Isotope Geochemistry, Geomicrobiology or related disciplines
• Appointment at the Senior Research Associate level will also require previous research experience and an aptitude for leadership and project supervision 
• High level analytical chemistry skills and the ability pro-actively and creatively to implement wet and instrumental solutions to complex problems in environmental chemistry. 
• Relevant experience of designing and implementing laboratory experiments. 
• Ability to publish scientific manuscripts, data reports and summaries.
• Experience of liaison with external collaborators and organisations 

Additional information

Contract type: Open ended with funding available for 12 months

This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on 27/01/2026

The interviews are anticipated to take place on 20/02/2026

For informal queries, please contact: Rich Pancost, Professor of Biogeochemistry r.d.pancost@bristol.ac.uk

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