Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Microbiology and Palaeobiology – 3 years- University of Edinburgh

About the role

An exciting three-year postdoctoral position working at the interface of palaeontology and microbiology to answer fundamental questions about the fossil record of microbial life. Bacteria have been critical agents in the Earth-life system for billions of years but their fossil record is poorly resolved and understood. To make progress, a newly funded NERC Pushing the Frontiers grant aims to combine microbiology and palaeontology in an ambitious and exciting way.

Responsibilities

• Use microbiological methods in the laboratory to produce new fundamental knowledge about bacterial taphonomy.
• Apply this knowledge to the interpretation of outstanding fossil material from the Rhynie chert and several Precambrian microfossil assemblages.
• Produce major publications that enable researchers around the world to identify and interpret fossil bacteria in new ways, facilitating the reinterpretation of the oldest candidate fossils, assisting the search for life on Mars, and helping to calibrate molecular-phylogenetic timelines of some of the most important organisms on the planet.
• Develop new lines of research including fellowship / research funding proposals.
• Support postgraduate and undergraduate projects.

Qualifications

• PhD in a field within or closely related to palaeontology, Earth sciences, environmental sciences, microbiology or microbial ecology.

Skills

• Training and experience in microbiology.
• Proven ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Experience of disseminating findings through scientific publications and conference presentations, commensurate with career stage.

Pay

UE07 £40,247 to £47,874 per annum.

Schedule

Full-time (35 hours per week).

Mentoring will be given to support career development. The anticipated start date is July 1st 2025.