Research Assistant: Biodiversity and land-use change(Fixed Term)
The Centre for Landscape Regeneration is an interdisciplinary research centre focused on restoring the British countryside through cost-effective, nature-based solutions that deliver benefits for biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation, and wider society. Funded by the NERC Changing the Environment Programme, the Centre brings together researchers and partners from across academia, conservation, policy, and industry to address the challenges associated with climate change, land use, and the transition to net zero. Research focuses on three landscapes in the English Fens, the Cairngorms and Cumbria. Led by the University of Cambridge in collaboration with a wide range of partner organisations, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), and the Endangered Landscapes Seascapes Programme (ELSP), the Centre integrates expertise from disciplines spanning ecology, geography, computer science, land economy, sociology, public health, and environmental science. The Centre aims to develop the evidence, tools, and partnerships needed to support sustainable landscape regeneration at scale across the UK.
The Role: As a Research Assistant, you will contribute to research using existing ecological and spatial datasets to explore how biodiversity responds to land-use and environmental change, with an initial focus on the Cairngorms National Park. Working closely with an interdisciplinary team of researchers, you will support data analysis, spatial modelling, synthesis, and interpretation to help inform landscape regeneration and conservation planning.
The role will involve working with large environmental datasets and collaborating with researchers and partners across multiple disciplines. While the primary focus will be on biodiversity modelling in the Cairngorms, there may also be opportunities to contribute to related work in other regions, including Cumbria, and to support wider activities within the Centre.
This is a highly collaborative role suited to someone with strong quantitative and analytical skills, an interest in ecology and land-use change, and enthusiasm for working at the interface of biodiversity science, conservation, and sustainable landscape management.
Responsibilities
Support the analysis and interpretation of ecological, biodiversity, and land-use datasets to investigate responses to environmental and land-use change.
Contribute to the development and application of spatial and statistical models relating to biodiversity, habitats, and landscape regeneration.
Contribute to the preparation of reports, scientific papers, presentations, and briefing materials.
Support and contribute to wider Centre activities across different UK landscapes where appropriate.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for up to 7 months.
Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.
We welcome applications from individuals who wish to be considered for part-time working or other flexible working arrangements. The postholder will be based in the David Attenborough Building in Cambridge and will be expected to work on site at least three days per week, except whilst on fieldwork.
We particularly welcome applications from women and candidates from a BME background for this vacancy, as they are currently under-represented at this level in the University.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to: Professor Andrew Balmford [email: apb12@cam.ac.uk] and Dr Joshua Copping [email: joshua.copping@rspb.org.uk]
If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact Zoology HR Office [email: hr@zoo.cam.ac.uk]
Please quote reference PF49870 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
The Role: As a Research Assistant, you will contribute to research using existing ecological and spatial datasets to explore how biodiversity responds to land-use and environmental change, with an initial focus on the Cairngorms National Park. Working closely with an interdisciplinary team of researchers, you will support data analysis, spatial modelling, synthesis, and interpretation to help inform landscape regeneration and conservation planning.
The role will involve working with large environmental datasets and collaborating with researchers and partners across multiple disciplines. While the primary focus will be on biodiversity modelling in the Cairngorms, there may also be opportunities to contribute to related work in other regions, including Cumbria, and to support wider activities within the Centre.
This is a highly collaborative role suited to someone with strong quantitative and analytical skills, an interest in ecology and land-use change, and enthusiasm for working at the interface of biodiversity science, conservation, and sustainable landscape management.
Responsibilities
Support the analysis and interpretation of ecological, biodiversity, and land-use datasets to investigate responses to environmental and land-use change.
Contribute to the development and application of spatial and statistical models relating to biodiversity, habitats, and landscape regeneration.
Contribute to the preparation of reports, scientific papers, presentations, and briefing materials.
Support and contribute to wider Centre activities across different UK landscapes where appropriate.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for up to 7 months.
Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.
We welcome applications from individuals who wish to be considered for part-time working or other flexible working arrangements. The postholder will be based in the David Attenborough Building in Cambridge and will be expected to work on site at least three days per week, except whilst on fieldwork.
We particularly welcome applications from women and candidates from a BME background for this vacancy, as they are currently under-represented at this level in the University.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to: Professor Andrew Balmford [email: apb12@cam.ac.uk] and Dr Joshua Copping [email: joshua.copping@rspb.org.uk]
If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact Zoology HR Office [email: hr@zoo.cam.ac.uk]
Please quote reference PF49870 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.