Research Fellow in Ecological and Epidemiological Modelling

Hours: full time hours considered up to a maximum of 100% FTE

Requests for flexible working options will be considered (subject to business need).

Contract: fixed term until 30 November 2026

Applications must be received by midnight of the closing date.

Expected Interview date: To be confirmed

Expected start date: 01 August 2024

We are looking for a motivated post-doctoral researcher to assess potential zoonotic disease transmission pathways between bats humans. As part of an international consortium – OneBAT-funded by Horizon Europe https://onebat.eu you will collaborate with researchers across Europe. 

Using a One Health approach, the OneBat consortium investigates the steps that could lead to viral transmission. The Sussex team is particularly interested in bat ecology, cat-bat-human interactions, and the epidemiology of viruses in bat populations and spill-overs into other hosts.

You will need to have strong numeric skills for this post, with experience in techniques such as species distribution modelling and statistical analyses in R. In addition you will need to conduct field research and conduct surveys involving members of the public and veterinarians.

One key  objective of the research is to investigate potentially risky interactions between bats and cats or humans, using techniques including distribution overlap maps, questionnaire surveys of bat rehabilitation centres, camera trapping and DNA-based assessment of cat-bat interactions.

Another key objective will be to use modelling techniques to integrate serological and virological surveillance data to better understand the dynamics of transmission of 3 viruses based on longitudinal data collected by OneBAT partners in 2 selected locations of 5 countries (Cyprus, France, Hungary, Italy and Spain).

The fellow will support the consortium in establishing a MOTUS network of radiotracking receivers and analyse data on short- and long-distance movements of bats. Information from PIT tagging will also be analysed to understand interactions between colonies locally.

The University is committed to equality and valuing diversity, and applications are particularly welcomed from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics (STEMM) at Sussex.

Please note that this position may be subject to ATAS clearance if you require visa sponsorship.

Please contact Fiona Mathews f.mathews@sussex.ac.uk or

Pierre Nouvellet pierre.nouvellet@sussex.ac.uk for informal enquiries.

For full details and how to apply please click the 'Apply' button, above.

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