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

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. 

Subject:

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. The postdoctoral researcher will use microbiological methods in the laboratory to produce new fundamental knowledge about bacterial taphonomy. With direct access to outstanding fossil material from the Rhynie chert and several Precambrian microfossil assemblages, they will then apply this knowledge to the interpretation of some of the best preserved and most important fossil microorganisms known on Earth. They will 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. The PDRA will also have opportunities to develop new lines of research including their own fellowship / research funding proposals. Opportunities will also be available to support postgraduate and undergraduate projects. Mentoring will be given to support career development.This post is full-time (35 hours per week).

The salary for this post is UE07 £40,247 to £47,874 per annum.

Your skills and attributes for success: 

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

Click to view a copy of the full job description 

Application Information

 Please ensure you include the following documents in your application:
– CV including a list of publications
– Cover letter

Key dates to note

The closing date for applications is March 7th 2025.
Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm GMT. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone. 

Interviews will be held in mid-March.

The anticipated start date is July 1^st 2025.