Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

Leverhulme Trust-funded project | Peatscapes on the edge: ecological resilience to fire in the Anthropocene

28-month fixed-term contract, role available from January 2027

We are seeking a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow – Peatland Fire, Palaeoecology and Ecological Resilience to join a Leverhulme Trust-funded project investigating how UK peatlands have responded to fire, climate and land-use change over the last 5000 years.

Peatlands are globally important carbon stores, but increasing fire risk under climate change, combined with long histories of land-use and degradation, threatens their ecological resilience and ability to store carbon. This interdisciplinary project will provide new evidence for how peatlands respond to fire over timescales beyond the observational record, helping to identify the conditions under which peatlands recover, change state or approach ecological tipping points.

The project brings together palaeoecology, environmental archaeology, analytical chemistry, remote sensing and ecological modelling. Research focuses on three contrasting UK peatscapes: Dartmoor, the Peak District and the Flow Country.

The successful applicant will work closely with Dr Jessie Woodbridge (PI, University of Plymouth), alongside Prof Ralph Fyfe (Co-I, University of Plymouth), Dr Tim Daley (Co-I, University of Plymouth), and Dr Michela Mariani (Co-I, University of Nottingham). The post will also form part of a wider interdisciplinary research team working with peatland managers, National Parks and other stakeholders.

The postholder will contribute primarily to the project’s palaeoecological research, including conducting fieldwork in peatlands, and laboratory analysis of peat cores to reconstruct long-term fire histories and ecosystem responses. Work will involve micro- and macro-charcoal analysis, pollen, plant macrofossils, testate amoebae, carbon accumulation and other multiproxy techniques, alongside the development and application of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to characterise charcoal and investigate the nature and intensity of past fire events.

Training, where needed, and career development support will be provided along with access to University of Plymouth Researcher Development activities and resources.

The successful applicant will also contribute to data integration and modelling, with opportunities to develop expertise beyond their primary specialism, lead publications, and present outputs at conferences.

We welcome applications from researchers with expertise in palaeoecology, palynology, charcoal analysis, palaeoclimatology, FTIR spectroscopy, peatland science, geography, or related environmental sciences, particularly those interested in developing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding ecosystem resilience.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive research environment and welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ways of working. We support flexible working arrangements where compatible with the requirements of the role.

Closing date:  12 midnight, Thursday 1 October 2026

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