The Role
We are looking to appoint a Research Assistant/Associate in Quantitative Marine Ecology to be part of the project ‘UK MPAs in a changing climate’, funded by the Ocean Innovation Fund at Oceana.
The position will be focussed on assessing the current and future effectiveness of UK Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in protecting vulnerable benthic species from bottom trawling under climate change scenarios. You will be expected to be familiar with spatial analyses, species distribution modelling (SDM), and programming in the R or Python languages to apply these to:
1. Collate and analyse spatial data on MPA boundaries, their protection status, and bottom trawling activity from sources like Global Fishing Watch.
2. Identify benthic taxa vulnerable to bottom trawling using a trait-based approach and, using existing species distribution models, quantify their overlap with MPAs and fishing pressure.
3. Synthesise ecological, fisheries, and climate data to evaluate the resilience of the UK MPA network and identify spatial priorities for future protection.
4. Communicate scientific outputs to both academic and non-specialist audiences, including Oceana’s campaign teams, to feed directly in to advocacy efforts and inform marine conservation policy.
This is a full time, fixed-term for 12 months.
For informal enquiries please contact Dr Fabrice Stephenson ().
As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.
Key Accountabilities
5. Although working under the general guidance of an academic or Principal Investigator, the postholder will contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of their studies, thus providing substantial 'added value'
6. Develop and carry out the specified project using appropriate techniques and equipment as outlined in the personal requirements
7. Determine appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required
8. Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and in time develop own research objectives and proposals for funding
9. Begin to write, with appropriate support, proposals for individual research funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids
10. Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
11. Contribute to the writing up of their research for publication and dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
12. Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
13. May be involved in the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate research projects and in providing support to postgraduate research students or Research Assistants
14. Will need to work with the support staff and, on occasions, with undergraduate and postgraduate students, and interact intellectually with other academic members of the Institute
15. May contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities
16. Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment
17. To process, manage, and analyse large spatial ecological datasets, including species distributions, fishing effort, and climate projection data
18. To quantify the overlap between vulnerable species, MPAs, and trawling hotspots to assess current and future MPA effectiveness
19. To identify and map areas of ecological importance (e.g., internal and external climate refugia, contraction areas) to inform spatial conservation planning
20. To work collaboratively with the project PI (Dr. Stephenson) and Oceana’s Science & Strategy team (Dr Skerritt) to ensure research outcomes are actionable and aligned with campaign goals
21. To disseminate research results through appropriate media. This will include authoring or co-authoring papers for publication in high-quality academic journals and contributing to an Oceana-branded report
22. To prepare progress reports and presentations on research outputs for the funding body (Oceana) and project advisory committee as required. Any other duties within the scope and general nature of the grade which may be required
The Person (Essential)
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
23. Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills
24. Detailed subject knowledge (PI to describe subject knowledge required) in the area of research
25. Likelihood of advanced skills directly related to the research projects
26. High level of analytical and problem-solving capability
27. Ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others
28. Experience of research with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment
29. Presentations at conferences and/or high-quality publications
30. Experience in species distribution modelling
31. Experience using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software (e.g., QGIS, Esri ArcMap, etc)
32. Experience programming in R & Matlab
33. Excellent written and oral communication skills
34. High level of problem-solving capacity
Desirable
35. Experience communicating complex scientific information in stakeholder meetings
Attributes and Behaviour
36. Comfortable working both individually and have good team working skills
37. Capacity for original thought
38. Enthusiasm and a strong work ethic
39. Ability to interact with researchers and project partners with different backgrounds
40. Ability to communicate scientific results to a broad or non-specialist audience
41. Ability and willingness to work in interdisciplinary environments
42. Well-developed interpersonal communication skills that enable you to engage external and internal stakeholders and work effectively in a multidisciplinary team
Qualifications
43. A PhD in relevant area (required for appointment at Associate level)
44. MSc degree in relevant subject or close to submission of PhD (for appointment at Assistant level).
Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.
We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.
At Newcastle University we hold a Gold award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.
In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.
Requisition ID: 29048