Post-Doctoral Research Assistant (PDRA) in Ensemble Vegetation Modelling

The LEMONTREE (Land Ecosystem Models based On New Theory, observations and Experiments) project has been developing new approaches, based on eco-evolutionary optimality (EEO) theory, for modelling vegetation processes. The post-holder will be responsible for running these EEO vegetation models (P++) using outputs from climate ensembles under current and future climate states, to quantify uncertainties in vegetation predictions reflecting the stochastic nature of the climate. They will also be responsible for testing model performance against site observations, and for running sensitivity tests to assess the influence of tunable parameters in the vegetation model on the simulations. The postholder will be based in Reading, and will be part of a team of early career scientists there, but will be expected to interact with other members of the LEMONTREE team at Imperial. The post is for a fixed-term period of 18 months but may be extended subject to funding.

The ideal candidate will have:

• A PhD in a relevant subject by the start date of the appointment
• Good programming skills (r, Python)
• Familiarity with eco-evolutionary optimality approaches to modelling vegetation
• Experience with working with climate model ensembles and large data
• Analytical skills, including experience with multivariate analysis, time-series, and geospatial statistics
• Previous research experience and publication record
• Ability to use own initiative and plan, manage and prioritise workload effectively to meet varied and strict project delivery deadlines

Closing date: 31/03/2025

Interviews will be held in April 2025, with the expectation that the appointment will start as soon as possible thereafter.

Contact details:

Contact Name: Sandy P. Harrison
Contact Job: Supervisor
Contact Email address: s.p.harrison@reading.ac.uk

Alternative Contact Name: Colin Prentice
Alternative Contact Job Title: Lemontree Science Lead
Alternative Contact Email address: c.prentice@imperial.ac.uk

By reference to the applicable SOC code for this role, sponsorship may be possible under the Skilled Worker Route. Applicants wishing to consider the SWR must ensure that they are able to meet the points requirement before applying. There is further information about this on the UK Visas and Immigration Website.

The University is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter and the Race Equality Charter, and champions LGBT+ equality. Applications for job-share, part-time and flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business needs.

Advert information