"Research Associate in Microbiome Ecology"

The University of Manchester - Earth & Environmental Sciences

Location:	Manchester, Hybrid
Salary:	£37,694 to £39,906 per annum depending on relevant experience
Hours:	Full Time
Contract Type:	Fixed-Term/Contract

Job reference: SAE-030756
Salary: £37,694 - £39,906 per annum depending on relevant experience
Faculty/Organisational Unit: Science and Engineering
Location: Manchester
Employment type: Fixed Term
Division/Team: Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences
Hours Per Week: 1 FTE
Closing date (DD/MM/YYYY): 01/03/2026
Contract Duration: 30 months
School/Directorate: School of Natural Sciences

We wish to appoint a PostDoctoral Research Associate to an exciting project exploring the assembly, stability and function of microbial decomposer communities.

This post is part of an interdisciplinary, Pushing the Frontiers grant funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, involving data and models for microbial communities both assembling in the field and constructed in the laboratory.

The post-holder will lead mathematical modelling and bioinformatic analyses, collaborating in experiments to explore microbiome dynamics, with particular focus on community assembly. The postholder will join a dynamic research environment with access to state-of-the-art lab and computational facilities. Chris Knight, Kat Coyte, Sophie Nixon and Mike Brockhurst are all investigators on the grant, whose research groups are part of the MERMan research cluster of more than 100 researchers working in microbial ecology and evolution.

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences is strongly committed to promoting equality and diversity, including the Athena SWAN Charter for gender equality in higher education. The School holds a Bronze Award which recognises their good practice in relation to gender; including flexible working arrangements, family-friendly policies, and support to allow staff to achieve a good work-life balance.

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 will be made on merit.

For further information, please visit http://www.sees.manchester.ac.uk/about-us/athena-swan/

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

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

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.