"Research Technician Microbial Ecology"

Research Technician Microbial Ecology

Department: Lancaster University - Lancaster Environment Centre

Location: Lancaster

Salary: £26,707 to £30,378

Hours: Full Time

Contract Type: Fixed-Term/Contract

Placed On: 16th March 2026

Closes: 30th March 2026

Job Ref: 0136-26

Location: Bailrigg, Lancaster, UK

Contract: Full-Time/Fixed-Term

Interview date: To be confirmed

We wish to appoint a highly committed and capable Research Technician to provide technical support for a project focussed on mapping the stability and diversity of microbial carbon and nitrogen cycling in wetland soil (Follow N’ Flow). The position is part of a Swiss National Science Foundation Grant awarded jointly to Professor Richard Bardgett, which seeks to develop an understanding of the temporal and spatial variability of nutrient cycling in agriculturally impacted wetland soils.

This one-year, full-time position will work closely with a team including a postdoctoral scientist, collaborators in Switzerland, and the principal investigator to provide technical support in the sampling and laboratory processing of soil samples from a wetland experiment designed to track microbial enzyme activity and nutrient fluxes over time.

You will have experience in the analysis of soils for nutrients and microbial properties using a range of experimental approaches and be competent in data management. You should hold a BSc in a relevant science and be willing to work in the field.

You will be part of the newly established Centre for Sustainable Soils at Lancaster University, which has newly refurbished laboratories with state-of-the-art facilities for soil microbial and biogeochemical analysis, including molecular assessment of soils.

This post is available from the 1st April 2026 and is available for one year, although extensions may be possible subject to funding.

Informal inquiries are welcome and may be directed to Professor Richard Bardgett: r.d.bardgett1@lancaster.ac.uk

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