About the role
We are seeking to recruit a Research Fellow with expertise in marine molecular ecology (eDNA) and an understanding of seascape ecology to join the Seascape Restoration Lab at the Institute of Marine sciences as part of the scientific team working on the ground-breaking Solent Seascape Project. This five-year, multi-million-pound, multihabitat marine ecological restoration project is delivered by a partnership of ten organizations with the aim to reconnect the Solent into a functioning seascape by improving the condition, increasing extent, and connectivity of key marine and coastal habitats using protection and restoration initiatives.
The role of the Research Fellow will be to plan, manage and implement the scientific assessments of ecosystem functioning and services of existing and restored coastal habitats, working within the regulatory framework and in collaboration with key partners, stakeholders, and team members. The priority habitats are saltmarshes, seagrass meadows and restored Ostrea edulis native oyster reefs, with a focus on assessing 1) biodiversity (eDNA), 2) carbon sequestration and storage and 3) nutrient concentrations. This project is ongoing and we have a well-established large-scale, multihabitat environmental DNA (eDNA) program to assess interactions between structure and biodiversity in coastal habitats. The post holder will co-deliver working in collaboration with other project partners and the Senior Research associate post holder who leads the fish ecology aspects. The successful candidate will use a suite of techniques to measure the ecological connectivity between habitats at different spatial scales across the Solent system, including environmental DNA (eDNA), carbon and nitrogen elemental and stable isotope analysis alongside more traditional ecological field data collection. The post holder will be responsible for data management and meta-analysis and lead the writing of scientific papers and science communication briefs.
The successful candidate will have a PhD in a relevant area, fieldwork experience and a strong publication track record in marine ecology, ideally in temperate systems. Molecular ecology, (specifically eDNA) and metabarcoding bioinformatic analysis skills are essential. Experience with either mesocosm studies, elemental analysis, or stable isotopic analysis for assessing carbon and nutrient in marine systems is also an advantage.
You will be working in the Seascape Restoration Lab led by Professor Joanne Preston (Principal Investigator) and aspects of the project will be in collaboration with Professor Gordon Watson and Dr Ian Hendy (Co-Investigators). Whilst there is a need to be in Portsmouth a few days a week, hybrid working is available for this role. The interviews are currently anticipated to be held on 25 September 2025.
Requirements
- Ongoing research experience in a marine ecology, boat and intertidal fieldwork and molecular ecology with relevance to the project
- Research experience of collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data, including eDNA metabarcoding sequence data
- Experience of writing research funding applications and writing research papers
- Ability to predict and solve problems when they occur and able to plan, organize and prioritize workloads both for yourself and for collaborators
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, presentation, reporting and statistical analysis skills with the ability to communicate effectively with collaborating scientists and to interact effectively and professionally with stakeholders
- A completed PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant subject
- Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team, both in the laboratory and in the field
- Ability to work to tight deadlines, a willingness to work flexible hours as required and able to motivate and engage other in research
Salary: £41,064 – £44,746 per annum
Application deadline: September 12, 2025
