Research Assistant/Associate in Experimental Evolutionary Ecology

Salary: 

Research Assistant:  £33,951 - £35,608 per annum

Research Associate: £36,636 - £46,049 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: 17 May 2026

The Role

We are seeking a Research Assistant/Associate to design and deliver experimental and empirical research to test how developmental processes influence adaptation to environmental change. The role will focus on generating high-quality data to inform and validate modelling work within a NERC-funded interdisciplinary project.

The NERC-funded project develops a new development-centric framework for understanding adaptation under environmental change. Current models often treat phenotypes as fixed traits, overlooking the developmental processes through which organisms construct their phenotypes, creating a key “phenotypic gap” in demographic theory. The project integrates modelling, experiments and empirical data to understand how developmental trajectories (e.g. growth, maturation and resource allocation) shape survival, reproduction and adaptive potential. By treating organisms as active systems that regulate their own development and modify their environments, the work aims to improve predictions of population resilience and evolutionary responses to environmental change. The project builds on recent work developing a “development-centric” approach to demography (see Smallegange 2026, Academia Biology for an overview).

This is a full time, fixed term role available until 30 April 2029.

Interviews will be held on Tuesday 2 June and Friday 5 June 2026.

For all informal enquiries please contact isabel.smallegange@ncl.ac.uk 

Key Accountabilities

• Design and conduct laboratory and/or field experiments to quantify developmental responses to environmental change in bulb mites Rhizoglyphus robini
• Generate and analyse empirical datasets on life-history, trait development and population processes
• Work closely with a modelling postdoctoral researcher to align data collection with model requirements
• Develop experimental protocols and ensure high standards of data quality and reproducibility
• Analyse data using appropriate statistical approaches
• Contribute to integration of empirical findings into the wider project framework
• Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at conferences
• Support engagement activities, including communication of findings to non-academic audiences
• Contribute to a collaborative and inclusive research environment

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours

• PhD (or near completion) in ecology, evolutionary biology, or a related discipline
• Demonstrable experience in experimental or empirical ecological research
• Experience collecting and analysing biological data
• Strong quantitative skills (e.g. statistics in R)
• Ability to design and deliver independent research
• Strong communication and teamwork skills

Desirable

• Experience with life-history, developmental biology, or behavioural ecology experiments in small invertebrates
• Experience linking empirical data to modelling or theory
• Experience with controlled laboratory systems
• Interest in adaptation, climate change or conservation applications

Qualifications

• PhD in ecology, evolutionary biology, or a related discipline (Research Associate)
• Near Completion of a PhD in ecology, evolutionary biology, or a related discipline (Research Assistant)

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: 29281

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