Upcoming research opportunities

Postdoc opportunity: Simulating the long-term future (2100+) of the biological pump and exploring it's role in the Earth System

University of Liverpool - Faculty of Science and Engineering (SCE) - School Of Environmental Sciences - Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences

Salary: £39,355 to £45,413 p.a. Grade 7

Further information: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Ocean Sciences at University of Liverpool

Closing date: 5th May 2025

 

This role is an exciting opportunity to work on the interplay between biology and physics on ocean carbon sequestration by the Biological Carbon Pump.

You will run an ocean biogeochemical model (PISCES) with different climate change scenarios and biogeochemical model complexities over centennial and millennial timescales. This will allow you to identify the key drivers of biological carbon storage in a changing ocean and provide the much-needed long-term future context for the role of the Biological Carbon Pump as a carbon reservoir in the wider Earth System. This research will also inform the efficacy of proposed marine Carbon Dioxide removal techniques.

Prior experience with Earth System Modelling is beneficial but applicants with a strong background in the Biological Carbon Pump or ocean biogeochemistry who are interested in developing or diversifying into modelling are also welcomed. Specific training with the ocean biogeochemical model would be available.

The role is part of the PRECOG project which is a new project with the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship which aims to quantify how and why carbon sequestration in the ocean from the Biological Carbon Pump will change in a future changing climate and the impact this has on the wider carbon cycle. You will also be a part of the Ocean Sciences research group at Liverpool, which is a dynamic group working across ocean physics, biogeochemistry, and ecology using a range of modelling and observational-experimental approaches.

You will work closely with Dr Jamie Wilson and a second postdoctoral researcher specialising in quantifying the Biological Carbon Pump in existing IPCC projections and a PhD researcher. You will also spend time visiting the project partners institutes for short periods of time. PRECOG has collaborations with the National Oceanography Centre; University of East Anglia; University of York; Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace (France); AXA Research Fund; and the international research network JETZON.

You will also be part of the Department of Earth Oceans and Ecological Science, and wider University. We provide a strongly supportive environment for postdoctoral researchers and the university is a signatory to the Researcher Development Concordat, and provides networking and development opportunities through the successful Prosper portal.

You should have a PhD in Ocean Biogeochemistry or related discipline (Environmental Science or Earth System Science).

Postdoc opportunity: Quantifying the biological pump in CMIP6 future projections and building a repository of outputs for the wider community

University of Liverpool - Faculty of Science and Engineering - School of Environmental Sciences - Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences

Salary: £39,355 to £45,423 per annum

Further information: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Ocean Sciences - Grade 7 at University of Liverpool

Closing date: 5th May 2025

 

This role is an exciting opportunity to work on the interplay between biology and physics on ocean carbon sequestration by the Biological Carbon Pump.

You will work on quantifying the Biological Carbon Pump in future projections made by IPCC-class Earth System Models. You will identify, extract and analyse a broad suite of Biological Pump outputs and metrics from existing model outputs (CMIP6) allowing you to make a state-of-the-art and comprehensive assessment of how and why the future Biological Carbon Pump and is expected to change in the future. You will also collaborate with project partners to help build a repository of these outputs that is aligned with other observation-based repositories for the Biological Carbon Pump.

Prior experience with Earth System Modelling is beneficial but applicants with a strong background and ocean biogeochemistry. Prior experience with Earth System Model outputs is beneficial but applicants with an interest in developing or diversifying into this area are also welcomed to apply.

The role is part of the PRECOG project, a newly funded UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship which aims to quantify how and why carbon sequestration in the ocean from the Biological Carbon Pump will change in a future changing climate and the impact this has on the wider carbon cycle. You will also be a part of the Ocean Sciences research group at Liverpool, which is a dynamic group working across ocean physics, biogeochemistry, and ecology using a range of modelling and observational-experimental approaches.

You will work closely with Dr Jamie Wilson   and a second postdoctoral researcher specialising in quantifying the Biological Carbon Pump in existing IPCC projections and a PhD researcher. You will also spend time visiting the project partners institutes for short periods of time. PRECOG has collaborations with the National Oceanography Centre; University of East Anglia; University of York; Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace (France); AXA Research Fund; and the international research network JETZON.

You will also be part of the Department of Earth Oceans and Ecological Science, and wider University. We provide a strongly supportive environment for postdoctoral researchers and the university is a signatory to the Researcher Development Concordat, and provides networking and development opportunities through the successful Prosper portal.

Lecturer in Marine Science; Ref: ATR1697

Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia

Salary on appointment will be £48,149 per annum, with an annual increment up to £55,755 per annum. 

Further information: https://vacancies.uea.ac.uk/vacancies/1122/lecturer-in-marine-science-atr1697.html

Closing date: 2 May 2025

 

The University of East Anglia invites applications for a Lectureship in Marine Science based in the School of Environmental Sciences. You will have developed strong expertise in an area of marine science research and will be excited by the opportunity to develop your research interests in the rich interdisciplinary environment the School offers.

This joint post is part of a strategic alliance between the University of East Anglia and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas; https://www.cefas.co.uk/), the primary research agency responsible for advising government on marine environmental and fisheries management.

The post will involve developing research and teaching in the area of marine and/or coastal ecosystem services, plus enhancing the UEA-Cefas link through an active participation in the Collaborative Centre for Sustainable Use of the Seas (CCSUS). 

You will be based at UEA in Norwich, but will be expected to spend part of your time at the Cefas laboratory in Lowestoft (Suffolk), where you will have access to key facilities (including the research vessel Cefas Endeavour), and benefit from interactions with teams of government scientists.

You must have a PhD in Marine Science (or equivalent qualification) or a related discipline and will be able to fulfil all essential elements of the person specification.

This full-time post is available from 1 August 2025 on an indefinite basis. 

UEA offers a variety of flexible working options and although this role is advertised on a full-time basis, we encourage applications from individuals who would prefer a flexible working pattern including annualised hours, compressed working hours, part time, job share, term-time only and/or hybrid working. Details of preferred hours should be stated in the personal statement and will be discussed further at interview.

We strongly encourage applicants from women and all those from Black, Asian or other minority ethnic backgrounds and welcome applications from all protected groups as defined by the Equality Act 2010. Appointment will be made on merit.

 

Benefits include:

  • 44 days annual leave inclusive of Bank Holidays and University Customary days (pro rata for part-time).
  • Family and Work-life balance policies including hybrid working and considerable maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption leave.
  • Generous pension scheme with life cover for dependants, plus incapacity cover.
  • Health and Wellbeing: discounted access to Sportspark facilities, relaxation rooms, 320 acres of rolling parkland, wellbeing walks, Wellbeing Ambassador network, medical centre, Occupational Health and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme.
  • Campus Facilities: Sportspark, library, nursery, supermarket, post office, bars and catering outlets.
  • Exclusive shopping discounts to help cut the cost of household bills, childcare salary sacrifice scheme, Cycle to Work scheme and public transport discounts.
  • Personal Development: unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning courses, specialist advice and training from our Organisational Development and Professional Learning Team.

PhD opportunity: Is ocean circulation the ultimate driver of biological carbon storage in the ocean?

School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool

Further information: Is ocean circulation the ultimate driver of biological carbon storage in the ocean? at University of Liverpool on FindAPhD.com

Closing date: 1st June 2025

 

About the Project

Marine phytoplankton play a crucial role in the carbon cycle and climate by locking dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) in the deep ocean away from the atmosphere. This process is called the Biological Pump and is an important natural reservoir of carbon in our Earth System. The latest IPCC Report concluded there is high confidence that feedbacks to climate will arise from alterations to the Biological Pump, but the precise processes driving these feedbacks are still uncertain. Although the Biological Pump involves ecological and biological processes that are widely expected to change significantly with climate change, a new analysis of IPCC future projections showed that the slowing down of ocean circulation in response to warming is a main driver of carbon storage by the Biological Pump in the coming century (Wilson et al., 2022).

Project Aims and Methods

The PhD aims to quantify the importance of ocean circulation in driving biological carbon storage by the Biological Pump. The student will initially use an intermediate complexity Earth System Model to run historical simulations and future projections and investigate the role of circulation on the Biological Pump during the present-day and in the future, and identify the key processes that control the response of the biological pump to a climate-induced changing circulation. The student will have freedom to then explore various research directions based on their interests such as: 1) Will ocean circulation continue to be the main driver beyond the 21st century and/or after net zero? 2) What are the main drivers of uncertainties in the Biological Pump in current IPCC projections? 3) What impact does a changing circulation have on proposed marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR) techniques?

Training and Support

The student will receive direct training and support from the supervisory team in running Earth System Models as well as processing and analysing their outputs. This includes training in widely-used programming languages and high performance computing. The student will work within the lab-group of the “Predicting Biological Carbon in the Ocean Globally” project newly funded by UKRI, alongside the PI and research staff. The project provides opportunities to engage and collaborate with the National Oceanography Centre, the international research network JETZON, Universities of York and East Anglia, Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace (IPSL), and the AXA Research Fund. The student will be supported to present their research at (inter)national conferences. The student will be situated within the internationally-leading Ocean Sciences Research Group at Liverpool and benefit from being part of a large and active postgraduate cohort and research environment.

Candidate Requirements

Candidates should have an academic background from across any of the following areas: ocean, earth system, climate, environmental, or natural sciences. Additional experience, or a strong interest in developing skills in, programming and command-line environments such as Unix/Linux will be beneficial.

Supervisors:

Jamie Wilson - jamie.wilson@liverpool.ac.uk

Alessandro Tagliabue -atagliab@liverpool.ac.uk

Anna Katavouta - annkat@noc.ac.uk

Oliver Andrews - oliver.andews@york.ac.uk