Research Associate / SRA - Individual Based Modelling for Environmental Biotechnology

Salary:

Research Associate: £34,866 - £45,163 per annum

Senior Research Associate: £46,485 -  £55,295 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date:  05 January 2025

The role

Do you have skills to undertake individual based modelling using LAMMPS to create new sensors in Environmental Biotechnology and Environmental Engineering. We are looking to recruit a full time post-doctoral researcher with a background in both environmental engineering and computer science to create novel tools and strategies to develop engineering biology applications in engineering biology. 

This is part of a BBSRC Engineering Biology Mission hub funded centre:  “New Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre (EBIC)”. We only have two years funding so we need you  to hit the ground running so you must have extensive first-hand experience of environmental engineering and the Individual Based Modelling platform we seek to use NUFEB.

You will be required to well with our partners in Newcastle, across the EBIC hub and in industry and to present and publish their research internationally.

This post is full time, fixed-term for a period of 24 months, with a start date as close to January 2025 is preferred although a later start can be discussed. However, for the right candidate we are more than willing to allow you to work flexibly to allow you to support your family and other commitments.

To apply, please complete an online application and upload a CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter is a supporting statement and should outline how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the job description and your interest in the role. 

For more information or informal enquiries, please contact Prof Tom Curtis (tom.curtis@ncl.ac.uk) 

Key Accountabilities

•    To perform numerical experiments in the NUFEB individual based mode in pursuit of the wider goals of the EBIC project
•    To develop strategies for validating individual based models
•    Liaise with other members of the EBIC team in Newcastle and other partner universities
•    Present research findings at project meetings, national and international conferences
•    Support the project’s adminstrative and management duties such as organising meetings, workshop planning etc.
•    Aid in the supervision of PhD and MEng research students
•    Write peer reviewed publications and report
•    Analyse and interpret data to obtain new insights
•    Assist with the day-to-day running of the lab

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 

Essential

•    Experience in individual based modelling
•    Experience running models reactors and basic metagenomic tools
•    Experience in computer programming in C++
•    Ability to write peer reviewed journals
•    Ability to drive research agenda independently
•    A high level of technical competency

Desirable

•    Evidence of originality, innovation, creativity and research track record including publications in high impact factor journals
•    Evidence of working in industry
•    Evidence of presenting research at national and international conferences

Attributes and Behaviour

Essential

•    Ability to work in a team
•    A commitment to maintaining and enhancing our research culture
•    A good level of personal organisation
•    The ability to take the initiative in pursuit of agreed objectives
•    Willingness to work flexibly (when appropriate) by mutual agreement
•    Willingness to supervise Undergraduate, Masters and PhD students
•    Clear commitment to a career in research
•    Willingness to travel and visit project partners

Desirable

•    Willingness to work under pressure to achieve agreed deadlines
•    Experience in public engagement and disseminating research via professionally and social media

Qualifications

Essential

•    A master’s degree in Environmental Engineering
•    PhD (environmental engineering or related subject)

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 silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident 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: 27804