"Research Assistant / Research Associate"

University of Cambridge - Department of Plant Sciences

Location:	Cambridge
Salary:	£33,002 to £46,049
Hours:	Full Time
Contract Type:	Fixed-Term/Contract
Placed On:	23rd December 2025
Closes:	12th January 2026
Job Ref:	PD48408

We are seeking a Post doctoral Research Associate (PDRA) to study how global change is reshaping the biodiversity and carbon dynamics of the Brazilian forests with particular focus on the Atlantic Forest.

In this role, you will join a large collaborative team to determine the extent and nature of change in these critical forests and evaluate the success of restoration efforts by integrating forest inventory data from mature and secondary forests with assessments from restoration sites. You will be expected to perform data analyses, author research papers, lead field expeditions to Brazil to fill key data gaps, and engage with Brazilian stakeholders across industry, science, and policy.

You will be supervised by Dr. Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert as part of the Global Change Ecology research group, in collaboration with Prof. David Coomes. This position will be affiliated with both the Department of Plant Sciences and the Conservation Research Institute.

You will be part of the wider Plant Ecology and Conservation Group and based in the David Attenborough building. This post is funded by the Suzano Legacy Fund, and you will be part of an interdisciplinary group studying conservation of tropical ecosystems, focusing on Brazil.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.

Please notice that if you have not received any news from us 1 month after the closing date you should consider that on this occasion your application has not been successful.

Please quote reference PD48408 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.