"Research Associate in Ecology of Plant-Fungal Interactions"

Job reference: SAE-025159

Salary: £36,024-£44,263 per annum depending on relevant experience

Faculty/Organisational Unit: Science and Engineering

Location: Oxford Road

Employment type: Fixed Term

Division/Team: Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences

Hours Per Week: Full Time (1 FTE)

Closing date: 08/04/2024

Contract Duration: 36 Months

School/Directorate: School of Natural Sciences

We are seeking an enthusiastic and talented Post-Doctoral Research Associate (PDRA) to join the department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Manchester, to explore plant-ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal functioning across environmental gradients. The PDRA position is associated with a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship awarded to Filipa Cox, which aims to mechanistically test 1) how ECM fungal carbon and nitrogen utilisation are altered with inorganic nitrogen availability and 2) how this underlying mechanism drives ECM fungal community composition and functioning at broad spatial scales.

This project will use a combination of fieldwork and microcosm experiments to tackle these questions and utilise a variety of techniques including stable isotope probing, molecular characterisation of fungal communities, characterisation of soil organic matter and enzymatic activities. The PDRA will join a diverse, active and collaborative research group in the Soil and Ecosystem Ecology Lab at Manchester https://www.ees.manchester.ac.uk/soil-ecosystem-ecology-lab/

What you will get in return:

• Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
• Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
• Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
• Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
• Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers

As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.     

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.

Any recruitment enquiries from recruitment agencies should be directed to People.Recruitment@manchester.ac.uk.

Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:

Name: Filipa Cox 

Email: filipa.cox@manchester.ac.uk 

General enquiries:

Email: People.recruitment@manchester.ac.uk

Technical support:

https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.