Research Associate In Bee Health

Salary: £33,966 to £36,024 per annum
Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits . We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.
Closing Date: 25 April 2024
The Role
We are looking for an enthusiastic and innovative researcher to work as part of a team on a grant funded by the EU Horizon Europe programme. The BeeGuards consortium consists of 27 partners including scientists, beekeepers and beekeeping associations, consulting and technology companies, from 16 countries. The 4-year project starting in October 2023, aims to provide sustainable management practices, novel breeding strategies, and digital and forecasting tools that will allow the beekeeping sector to adapt to a changing environment.
Newcastle University are responsible for the delivery of Work package 6. entitled “Understanding climate as a driver of Parasites & Pathogens and mitigating their impact”. The postdoc will be involved in developing models that predict the spread of pests and diseases in a changing climate; setting up experiments that help us better understand the impact climate shocks can have on honey Bee Health; testing honey bee and wild bees for the presence of pathogens to assess spill over risk; and developing breeding tools to improve the management of emerging diseases. These tasks will require a combination of data carpentry, modelling, handling live honey bees in laboratory; setting up field studies; and testing for pathogens using real-time qPCR. These tasks will be performed in collaboration with project partners.
You will be responsible for the collection, collation, processing, analysis, presentation (writing, graph production, image production and oral presentations at national/international conferences) and storage of research data in accurate, secure, detailed, and up-to-date records of all work.
We are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment and we would be happy to discuss arrangements for flexible and/or blended working.
You will work under the guidance of Professor Giles Budge (Work Package 6 Lead) with additional support from Professor Steve Rushton (biological modeller).
The post is offered on a fixed term basis for 36 months.
For informal enquires contact Professor Giles Budge ( giles.budge@ncl.ac.uk ) or Professor Steve Rushton ( steven.rushton@ncl.ac.uk ).
To apply, please complete an online application and upload a CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter is a supporting statement, and you should outline how you meet the essential criteria of the role and evidence this with examples.
Key Accountabilities
Use initiative and creativity to analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes
Co-ordinate own work with that of others, deal with problems which may affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of project delivery
Present information on research progress and outcomes to Work Package Leader and oversees collaborators
Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project’s dissemination (reports, presentations, publications)
Work to deadlines and manage, with support, competing priorities
Ensure that personal knowledge in relevant field of study is kept up to date
Undertake relevant training and development activities to develop capacity for taking on wider responsibilities
Develop, with advice, an awareness of own professional development needs and a personal development strategy
Liaise with research colleagues and support staff on day-to-day issues
The Person (Essential)
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Strong skills in quantitative modelling methods and statistics
Good working knowledge of data carpentry and handling large data sets
Experience of using programming languages (e.g.R, Python) for manipulating and analysing datasets
Strong computing skills
Experience of handling live insects
Training in practical beekeeping would be an advantage
Practical experience of molecular techniques e.g. qRT-PCR
Ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems
Proven ability to work collaboratively with colleagues
Highly developed communication skills to engage effectively with diverse audiences, both orally and in writing, using a range of media
Eagerness to conduct research that can influence policy and industry
Attributes and Behaviour
Well organised, with excellent time management
Motivated and enthusiastic
Innovative and flexible in approach
Strong team-working ethos
Ability and willingness to travel locally, within UK and internationally for meetings and conferences.
Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Ability to work flexibly.
Enthusiasm to keep abreast of relevant methodological developments.
The successful applicant will need to work with adult worker honey bees and so the post is not suitable for those with a known allergy to bee stings or a phobia about working with live insects.
Due to the seasonal nature of field work involved in this project the candidate may be required to work at weekends.
Qualifications
Essential
Good honours degree (or equivalent) in a Natural Sciences discipline
Post graduate research degree with experience in biological modelling.
Subject knowledge in a discipline relevant to delivering the research programme (Honey bee biology, epidemiology)
Experience of writing up research for publication
Desirable
Postgraduate research experience gained either via previous employment or during postgraduate studies.
Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.
We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.
At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.
In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.
Requisition ID: 26577