NOC is opening a fixed-term position in the Seafloor & Habitat Mapping team, part of the Seafloor Ecosystems subgroup in the Ocean BioGeosciences Group, for a research scientist with expertise in marine habitat mapping, to cover a period of maternity leave.
The role will be focused on contributions to existing research projects (e.g. the NERC-funded CLASS program and its successor, the EU H2020 funded project iAtlantic and the NERC-funded ECOWind ACCELERATE), and will include activities such as participation in the design and delivery of outputs (papers, reports, datasets etc.), research expeditions at sea, compilation and analysis of interdisciplinary quantitative and qualitative datasets (imagery, geophysical, oceanographic), reporting of the findings in publications and conference/workshop presentations, stakeholder communication, student supervision and wider outreach activities. In addition, the successful candidate will also have some time to pursue their own research and develop their professional profile. As part of the development of the successful candidate, there will be opportunities to learn about the planning and development of new research projects.
About you
We are looking for candidates with a Ph.D. in marine biology, earth sciences or environmental/marine sciences, or with equivalent years of experience, preferably in the study of habitat mapping or benthic ecology. You are ready to take on new research topics and progress and deliver project tasks, to progress your research portfolio. You have strong numerical and GIS skills, particularly applied to ecological and spatial problems in the marine environment. You will have experience with image annotation, species distribution modelling and the use of image platforms and marine robotic systems for surveying, and an understanding of acoustic mapping and data processing that underpins habitat mapping. Some of the projects have an extensive group of collaborators and stakeholders, including industry partners, so experience working in such an environment is a plus.
The vision of the team is to develop an integrated approach to the study of marine environments, combining multiple disciplines to increase understanding. We therefore are looking for candidates who can demonstrate a keen interest in multidisciplinary research and who can communicate across disciplines and between research and stakeholders. You will also have a developing track record in scientific publishing and attracting funding, appropriate for your career stage.
