Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Palaeobiology, with a focus on Extinction Selectivity

University of Oxford - Department of Earth Sciences

Placed On: 30th March 2026

Closes: 1st May 2026

Job Ref: 185738

Fixed term for 30 months

Reporting to the PI, Prof Erin Saupe, the post holder will be a member of a research group with responsibility for carrying out research for ERC grant ‘Determining the drivers of extinction across space and time’. The post holder will provide guidance to less experienced members of the research group, including research assistants, technicians, and PhD and project students.

The post holder will develop an analytical framework to achieve the grant objectives. Specifically, the postholder will write and publish scientific papers on applying extinction risk models derived from fossil marine invertebrate data to extant species. Results from model efforts will be used in formal Red List Assessments, in collaboration with the Marine Invertebrate Red List Authority at the Naturmuseum Senckenberg.

The post holder will ask which extant marine invertebrate taxa are most at risk of extinction under natural, baseline conditions today and under future anthropogenic climate change scenarios. The post holder will therefore be expected to be familiar with manipulating climate model output (e.g., netCDF data).

About you

The post holder will hold, or be close to completion of a relevant PhD/DPhil, together with relevant experience and will possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to work within established research programmes. They will also be expected to manage their own academic research and associated activities and have previous experience of contributing to publications. They must also have excellent communication skills, including the ability to present research proposals and results, and represent the research group at meetings.

This is a 30-month fixed term post available from 1 June 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. For full details of the role, please see the job description. The deadline for applications is 1 May 2026. Interviews will be provisionally held on May 12th 2026.

You will be required to upload a CV and a Supporting Statement as part of your application. Please do not attach any manuscripts, papers, transcripts, mark sheets or certificates as these will not be considered as part of your application.

Applications are particularly welcome from women and black and ethnic minority candidates, who are under-represented in research posts in the Department.