Research Assistant in Dairy Cattle Science

Salary: £33,002.00 - £33,951.00  per annum pro rata

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: 13 April 2026

The Role

Are you motivated by hands-on research that supports animal welfare, sustainable farming, and environmental impact reduction?

We are seeking a Research Assistant in Dairy Cattle Science to support a University-led project  focused on dairy cattle welfare, production and emissions. Based within the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences (SNES) in the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE), this role offers the opportunity to work at the heart of applied, impact-driven agricultural research

You will be responsible for the day-to-day coordination of project activities, working closely with University academics and farm staff to ensure high quality data collection and adherence to agreed protocols. This is a practical role requiring strong organisational skills, confidence working in farm environments, and the ability to support the deployment and maintenance of a range of research technologies.

We are committed to the professional development of our colleagues and offer a supportive working environment within a multidisciplinary research team.

We would welcome requests for flexible working and, depending on the needs of the role, blended working opportunities to work remotely as well as on campus may be considered. The hiring manager will discuss the requirements of the role should you be invited to interview.

This will be a part time, 50% role, from Spring 2026 until Spring 2028.

Please provide evidence of how you meet the essential criteria outlined in The Person section by uploading a cover letter along with your Curriculum Vitae (CV)

For informal enquiries about the role, please contact Dr Hannah Davis at Hannah.davis@newcastle.ac.uk

Key Accountabilities:

• Work as part of a research team to ensure robust data collection on dairy cattle behaviour, physiology, emissions and production
• Coordinate the day-to-day running of the project, working closely with farm staff and academic colleagues
• Develop and update standard operating procedures and risk assessments and ensure adherence throughout the project
• Coordinate feed delivery and rations for dairy cattle in line with project requirements
• Support the installation, calibration and maintenance of research technologies, including cameras and sensor systems mounted on animals and within their environment
• Conduct routine equipment checks, data downloads and other data collection activities
• Annotate animal behaviour from video footage according to agreed protocols
• Assist with routine observations (e.g. mobility and body condition scoring) and ensure compliance with health, safety and animal welfare standards throughout the project

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Experience collecting data from farm animals
• Experience working with farmers, technicians or research colleagues to deliver a well-executed trial or research project
• An understanding of animal science or agricultural science
• Strong knowledge of health and safety when working in farm or animal housing environments
• Knowledge of equipment used to collect data from farm animals (e.g. cameras, accelerometers, boluses, feeding sensors)
• A full UK driving licence

Desirable

• Experience collecting data related to dairy cow nutrition, production or welfare
• Experience working with sensor-based data from animals
• Experience measuring emissions from animals
• Understanding of commercial dairy farming practices

Attributes and Behaviours

• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Strong communication skills to ensure tasks are completed effectively and on time
• A highly organised and logical approach to work
• Ability to work effectively within a diverse team
• Strong problem-solving skills

Qualifications

Essential

• An undergraduate degree in animal science, agriculture, environmental science or a related discipline

Desirable

• A Master’s degree or further qualification relevant to animal science or agriculture

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 Gold 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: 29167

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