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Research Fellow, Marine Biology and Ecology

Employer
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON
Location
Southampton, United Kingdom
Salary
£31,406 to £34,304
Closing date
24 Oct 2021

Marine Biology & Ecology

Location:  National Oceanography Centre Southampton
Salary:   £31,406 to £34,304
Full Time Fixed Term (3 years)
Closing Date:  Sunday 24 October 2021
Interview Date:   To be confirmed
Reference:  1515821HN

Applications are invited from researchers to work as a Research Fellow in the University of Southampton’s Coral Reef Laboratory  (https://www.southampton.ac.uk/oes/research/facilities/corals.page).  In the School of Ocean and Earth Science at the National Oceanography Centre Southampton you will join a community of >500 researchers and support staff drawn from physics, chemistry, biology, geoscience and engineering, with a strong focus on marine biology and marine environment, to work in a project at the interface between the Marine Biology and Geochemistry Research Groups.

This post is funded through an ERC Advanced Grant to Professor Gavin Foster entitled “From microns to reefs: mechanistic insights into coral biomineralisation and the fate of coral reefs” and line management will be shared between Professor Foster (https://www.southampton.ac.uk/oes/about/staff/glf1u08.page) and Dr D’angelo (https://www.southampton.ac.uk/oes/about/staff/cda1w07.page).  The project involves a number of researchers from across the University of Southampton and aims to better understand the future of coral reefs in the face of anthropogenic change by building a mechanistic understanding of coral calcification.  For more details see this webpage: http://www.thefosterlab.org/microns2reefs.

Scleractinian corals have a complex biomineralisation tool kit that, although not fully understood, involves the use of a number of enzymatic pumps to control the carbonate system of the calcifying fluid to favour CaCO3 production and the synthesis of an organic matrix that controls and potentially initiates crystal formation. The applicant’s role in this multi-disciplinary project will be identify the relative importance of carbonate system vs. organic matrix synthesis in coral biomineralisation.  This will be achieved though culturing a range of coral species under various controlled conditions, manipulating the energy budget, and utilising a series of enzymatic inhibitors. You will then use a variety of inter-disciplinary techniques to explore the impact of these treatments on calcification rate, holobont physiology, skeletal organic matrix concentration and protein composition, and skeletal form.  Differential gene expression will also be used to identify how particular aspects of the corals biomineralisation tool kit responds to a changing environment.  

A successful candidate should have:

  • A PhD* (or equivalent) in biological or chemical subject area
  • Experience in applying molecular biological or biochemical  methods
  • Skills in hypothesis-testing, experiment design, statistical analysis of data sets and writing scientific manuscripts and reports on molecular biology/ biochemistry research.
  • Demonstrate strong drive, ambition and motivation, with the capacity to deliver on challenging tasks and to meet deadlines both individually and as working as part of a team.  

Experience with culturing corals, experimentation with marine species or laboratory model organisms or knowledge of micro-CT techniques for skeletal imaging would be an advantage as would RNA analysis, -omic techniques and data analysis/ bioinformatice tools 

This post is a fixed-term appointment for three years due to funding restrictions.  For further information about the Marine Biology and Ecology group and related work at Southampton follow these links:

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/oes/research/groups/marine_biology_and_ecology.page

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/oes/research/facilities/corals.page

www.thefosterlab.org

For further enquiries please contact Professor Gavin Foster (gavin.foster@noc.soton.ac.uk) or Dr Cecilia D’Angelo (C.Dangelo@soton.ac.uk).

*Applications for Research Fellow positions will be considered from candidates who are working towards or nearing completion of a relevant PhD qualification.  The title of Research Fellow will be applied upon successful completion of the PhD.  Prior to the qualification being awarded the title of Senior Research Assistant will be given.

Application Procedure 

You should submit your completed online application form at https://jobs.soton.ac.uk. The application deadline will be midnight on the closing date stated above. If you need any assistance, please call Annabelle Trimm (Recruitment Team) on +44 (0) 23 8059 4043 or email recruitment@soton.ac.uk  Please quote reference 1515821HN on all correspondence.

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