Research Fellow in Atmospheric Methane Removal by Trees

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to December 2025

Background

Part of the project “Testing limits to atmospheric methane removal by tree stem methanotrophs” funded by a Spark Climate Solutions, Exploratory Grant to Profs. Vincent Gauci, James McDonald and Yin Chen. The role will contribute to the understanding the factors determining how methane uptake on trees may be limited, while exploring and testing ways to reduce limitation and augment this function. In this proof of principal project, we aim to: (i) characterise methanotroph ecology and prevalence on tropical trees in Ghana using existing and established methods (metagenomics and metatranscriptomics) (ii) study the physiology and metabolism of methane oxidising microbiota and test the impact of nutrient addition on their activity using both metatranscriptomics on samples from tropical trees, and on existing, readily obtainable enrichment cultures, and (iii) we will test the impact of deploying amendments that may promote methane oxidation.

Main Duties

• Establish and maintain a tree sapling experiment in the University’s Wolfson Glasshouse Facility. 
• Conduct a programme of methane exchange measurements on these experimentally manipulated saplings.
• Work closely with the wider interdisciplinary project team, principally microbial ecologists to gain insights into the processes of interest. 
• Participate in two field visits. 1 in Ghana to take samples (in collaboration with colleagues in the field) and 2) a 7-10 day visit to the Amazon to make flux measurements on trees at height (in support of a colleague).
• Integrate these findings into reports and publishable work, for presentation at conferences.
• Contribute to the supervision of students on related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline and reciprocally support fellow lab colleagues.
• Undertake management/administration arising from research.
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research. 
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines.
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods.

Person Specification

• PhD (or near to completion) and experience in some of the following: chamber methods of trace gas exchange, initiating and maintaining glass house/mesocosm experiments on plants/tree saplings; microbial ecology of trees; experience in measuring methane exchange in forest ecosystems. Applicants are not expected to have experience in all of these areas.
• An understanding of trace gas (mainly methane) microbiology and exchange. Some knowledge of N₂O production and exchange in ecosystems is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in data analysis and presentation.
• Experience in organising instrument maintenance and liaising with manufacturers to troubleshoot.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly with very good proficiency in English.
• Ability to work independently and use initiative in research projects.
• Good self-organisation skills. 
• Experience of contributing to the planning and organising research programmes and/or specific research projects and fieldwork and comfortable working at height.
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort, and also to generate collaborative opportunities.

Informal enquiries to Vincent Gauci (v.gauci@bham.ac.uk)

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above. 

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment
We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.

Closes: 16/12/2024

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