As part of the landmark Soil-Deal for Europe, SOILL-Step up builds on the SOILL-Startup project for the implementation of the ambitious objectives of the Horizon Europe Mission. The aim is to establish 100 Soil Health Living Labs and Lighthouse projects. The project runs across 2026 and 2027 and aims to support and empower a growing soil health community in Europe. Lancaster University are one of the supporting organisations in this project with a focus on evaluation, impact and new engagement activities.

Key duties of the role include providing expertise in creative evaluation and understanding different dimensions or aspects of impact.  There is no requirement for technical knowledge of soil health measures, our area of concern will be more focused on areas including effect on policy at local, national or EU level, or the degree of engagement with local communities by the living lab. You will be involved in data gathering activities such as developing surveys and interviewing members of Soil living labs.  There will also be significant amount of analysis of this (mostly text based) data. Working as a team this analysis will be used to develop insights for sharing to the wider soil health community and the European Commission. 

Lancaster University is a research-intensive university, ranked in the top 1% of universities globally and in the top 10 in the UK. 

The School of Arts offers a rich and strong range of arts disciplines, including Architecture, Creative Writing, Design, English Literature, Fine Art, Media and Film, and Theatre. These areas are underpinned by a commitment to academic excellence, innovative teaching and impactful research.

The School of Arts is ambitious and creative and engages strongly with local partners, particularly in Morecambe Bay and throughout the northwest of England. We build on capacities to attract participation from academics and industry partners for significant events and projects. We are excited to play a role in defining the roles of arts in public life and discourse

We are committed to family-friendly and flexible working policies on an individual basis as well as the Athena SWAN Charter, which recognises and celebrates good employment practice undertaken to address gender equality in higher education and research. Furthermore, we are active and progressive around sustainability, wellbeing and decolonising agendas. 

Closing Date: 11 Nov 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £39,906 to £46,049 full time/fixed term

Contract: Indefinite with end date (currently 31/08/2028)

Position Summary:

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral researcher in Plant Biochemistry within the Lancaster Photosynthesis team under the supervision of Dr Doug Orr. This new position will join the Plant Biology grouping within the Lancaster Environment Centre, which consists of roughly 35 people including PIs, postdoctoral researchers, research technicians and postgraduate students.

This is part of a BBSRC-funded project that focuses on improving our understanding of Rubisco activity, and pursuing a novel target for increasing Rubisco activity in plants and cyanobacteria. This project is in collaboration with Prof. Martin Cann at Durham University. At Lancaster we will focus on understanding Rubisco activity of recombinant proteins in vitro, and testing these in planta to understand the impact of mutations on leaf level photosynthesis.

The ideal candidate for this position in Plant Biochemistry will have a genuine interest and the curiosity to pursue new research avenues in Rubisco. With training and support, you will be responsible for leading in vitro and in vivo research to advance the understanding of Rubisco activity. You will lead the molecular and biochemical study of novel Rubisco variants to build fundamental understanding, and lead the physiological characterisation of plants expressing these proteins. You will design and carry out experimental and computational work, analyse data, present results in oral and written form and lead the preparation of scientific manuscripts.

You will join the collaborative and supportive Lancaster Photosynthesis team and have access to state-of-the-art resources, including a well-equipped lab for plant molecular biology and biochemistry work using ionising radiation, high-specification plant growth chambers, and the Lancaster High End Computing (HEC) Cluster. Professional development opportunities and training courses to broaden your expertise and skills will be encouraged and are covered by the project.

Individuals from all diversity groups are encouraged to apply. LEC offers a collegial and stimulating environment for career development, based on departmental values and embedded Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) considerations and actions. We are committed to family-friendly and flexible working policies on an individual basis, as well as the Athena SWAN Charter, which recognises and celebrates good employment practice undertaken to address gender equality in higher education and research. Furthermore, we are active and progressive around sustainability, wellbeing and social justice agendas.

Timeframe:

This position is available for immediate start, with candidates ideally available to start by early 2027, however this is negotiable.

You will join us on an indefinite contract however the role remains contingent on external funding. This position will initially have an end date of 30/08/2028, with the possibility for extension.

We anticipate interviews will be held within 3 weeks of the closing date, with decisions communicated 1-2 weeks after the interview date.

To apply for this post:

In reading your application documents, we are assessing if you are a good fit to this position and if this position is a good fit for you. To be able to do this, we need you to tell us about your expertise and experience to date, and your research interests. We want to know about the skills you had the opportunity to develop, put within the context of your previous study/work environment by, for example, briefly describing the research facilities available to you, and whether you had opportunities to attend conferences/scientific meetings and develop transferable skills. Please let us know if you have had a career break for any reason so that we can consider the achievements listed on your CV, including your publication record, in relation to these factors. 

There is flexibility to appoint either a junior (grade 6) or senior (grade 7) postdoc to this role, with responsibilities and salary set accordingly, and dependent on the successful candidate’s current expertise and experience level.

What to include in each section of your application?

Cover letter: Please discuss why you are interested in this position, your career goals, and how you anticipate this position will help you achieve those goals. Please also describe the skills you have developed that are relevant to this post and tell us about any skills you want to develop further. It is helpful for us to know your contribution toward the achievements and experiences listed on your CV that are relevant to this post.

CV: Please include the following sections: Scientific interests; Education history; Professional experience/Employment history; Areas of expertise/Skills; Publications; Presentations.  And, if applicable: Honours/Awards/Prizes/Funding (e.g. travel grant, best poster); Academic service (e.g. review of manuscripts); Outreach; Career development (e.g. training courses or workshops).

Supporting Statements: Please provide a supporting statement for each criterium in the Personal Specification document that is listed as being scored via “Supporting Statements”. This should include examples that provide evidence of your experience and expertise. Aim for one paragraph per criterium (~50-200 words).

Referees: Contact information for at least two referees.

For informal enquiries relating to this post, please contact:

Dr Doug Orr d.j.orr@lancaster.ac.uk.

Further details on our research and team are available here:

http://wp.lancs.ac.uk/lancsphotosynthesis/

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lec/about-us/people/douglas-orr

Closing Date: 23 Nov 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £39,906 to £46,049 Full-Time Indefinite with End Date

Calabi-Yau (CY) triangulated categories are ubiquitous in mathematics, particularly in geometry and representation theory. Due to their physical origin, n-CY categories have been extensively studied for n=2,3. However, as a homological condition, the n-CY property can be studied for any integer n meaning there are many more examples: categories naturally arising in modular representation theory, singularity theory, Fuss-Catalan combinatorics, and higher homological algebra are n-CY for n different from 2 and 3. The systematic study of CY categories in these wider contexts is in its infancy and many aspects remain poorly understood. The main aim of the project seeks to provide methods to address this shortfall using mutations and geometric models.

The successful candidate is expected to hold a PhD degree in mathematics or a related discipline, with specialism in one of the fields of homological algebra, representation theory or algebraic combinatorics. Expertise in triangulated categories, representation theory of finite-dimensional algebras, combinatorial/geometric models arising from surfaces, singularity theory or modular representation theory is highly desirable. You will be expected to learn quickly, engage with new ideas, and contribute new insights.

This work will take place in our thriving Pure Mathematics section, which has considerable expertise in algebra, geometry, analysis, probability, and discrete mathematics. Lancaster is one of the UK’s top mathematical science departments, ranked 7th in the most recent Research Excellence Framework, and joint 1st for the impact of its research. The School, which holds an Athena SWAN Bronze Award, strives to provide a supportive and friendly environment for early career researchers, and offers a comprehensive career development programme. You will be able to focus on your research as the post carries no teaching or administrative duties. Teaching experience will be available on a voluntary basis should you wish to gain teaching experience. You will be encouraged to conduct research visits and will have access to travel funds to do so. 

The position starts on 1st February 2027 (or as soon as possible after), for up to 36 months. When applying, in addition to completing the online application, candidates should attach a full CV, a cover letter, a 1-page research statement describing how your expertise is relevant to this position and your future research plans, and the details of two referees. Interviews will take place in December and will be conducted online.

Please contact Dr Raquel Coelho Simões (r.coelhosimoes@lancaster.ac.uk) for further information or to discuss the post informally.

Closing Date: 29 Nov 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £39,906 to £46,049 (Full-Time/Indefinite with End Date)

The work will primarily focus on two closely related areas: developing a simulation and cosmological inference framework for the ZTF survey; and measuring and modelling environmental biases, including how these interact with the survey's selection effects. The output of this project will be a low-redshift anchor suitable for use by the Vera Rubin/LSST and 4MOST-TiDES surveys.

Candidates with experience in supernova cosmology are encouraged to apply. The post is available immediately, with an anticipated start date of 1st January 2027 (a later start, up to early Spring 2027, can be accommodated). The appointment is a fixed-term contract until September 2029. 

In addition to joining the ZTF Collaboration, the selected candidate will join the wider Observational Astrophysics group at Lancaster, a friendly and collaborative research environment. The candidate will be welcome to participate in group research activities, which cover diverse topics including transients, high-redshift galaxies, galaxy evolution, gravitational waves and citizen science projects, and will have regular opportunities to exchange ideas across these areas. 

If you have any queries regarding this position, please contact Mathew Smith at mat.smith@lancaster.ac.uk.

Qualifications:
A PhD (or near completion) in astrophysics, physics, cosmology or a related field; strong scientific programming skills (Python); research experience in supernova cosmology, statistical or systematic-uncertainty analysis, or large-scale survey science. Excellent communication and teamwork skills.

Application Requirements: CV, publication list, and a 2-page research statement describing past research experience and its relevance to the project's science goals.

Deadline: Applications received by Friday 6th November 2026, midnight UK time will receive full consideration.

Compensation: Salary commensurate with a standard postdoctoral researcher role at Lancaster.

Application instructions: Applications must be submitted through the Lancaster University online portal. 

Contact info: mat.smith@lancaster.ac.uk

Closing Date: 06 Nov 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £39,906 to £46,049 (Full time, indefinite with end date)

Lancaster University’s School of Physics and Astronomy, together with the University of Southampton, the University of Oxford, and Queen’s University Belfast is seeking to appoint four Postdoctoral Research Associates, one at each institution, as part of the five-year STFC Large Award “TRANSCEND”.

The TRANSCEND collaboration will use Vera Rubin/LSST transient data and the 4MOST Time-Domain Extragalactic Survey (TiDES) to address pressing questions in modern astrophysics: how stars explode and drive chemical enrichment, how supermassive black holes grow, and the true nature of dark energy. Each Postdoctoral Research Associate will lead one of the following areas and also contribute to the broader science goals of the collaboration:

• Simulations and selection effects for SN Ia cosmology and beyond (Lancaster University): lead the forward-modelling of the combined LSST+TiDES sample, and characterise its associated sample selection effects. This project will include building galaxy population catalogues validated against state-of-the-art cosmological simulations (e.g. IllustrisTNG). This simulation effort will be the foundation underpinning every rate, host-galaxy and cosmological result in TRANSCEND.
• Host galaxies of transients (University of Southampton): derive host-galaxy properties from LSST+TiDES photometric and spectroscopic data, and use the unprecedented LSST+TiDES transient sample to study how transients correlate with their environments and measure rates of different classes of transient.
• SN Ia cosmology groundwork or rare transient follow-up and characterisation (University of Oxford): use over 30,000 spectroscopically confirmed SNe Ia and 150,000 host-galaxy redshifts to improve SNe Ia standardisation and lay the groundwork for using this sample in future SN cosmological measurements. Alternatively, focus on follow-up and modelling of rare transients.
• Transient physical properties and the black hole mass function of tidal disruption events (Queen’s University Belfast): measure key parameters such as luminosity and nickel masses for thousands of transients from TiDES and follow-up data to build population demographics, and use hundreds of live TDEs and thousands of host galaxies to derive scaling relations and occupation fractions for SMBHs.

All Postdoctoral Research Associate posts are full-time, funded for 5 years from 1st April 2027. This advertisement is for the Lancaster University post; apply separately to each university for the other three. Applicants are encouraged to apply for more than one post, and, once appointed, all four researchers will work closely, through regular collaboration visits, to maximise TRANSCEND’s scientific outcomes. State your order of preference (topic and institution) in each application.

If you have any queries regarding this position, please contact Mathew Smith at mat.smith@lancaster.ac.uk.

Closing Date: 05 Nov 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £39,906 to £46,049 (Full-Time/Indefinite with End Date)

Working with the RSS Sustainability Strategic Theme Lead and a small team of fellow researchers, the appointee will provide expertise in research methodology and topics relevant to priority research areas including sustainability in health and care (focussed on life cycle assessment/environmental footprinting).

The RSS aim is to provide researchers, especially (but not exclusively) those applying for and in receipt of NIHR funding with free access to support and expertise. Lancaster is host to one of eight RSS Hubs delivering the national service and the NIHR RSS Specialist Centre for Social Care, in partnership with the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester, and Manchester Metropolitan University. 

You will have a background in an area of relevance (e.g. environmental impact assessment, buildings / estates decarbonisation, energy efficiency), ideally experience in a variety of research methodologies and experience of working collaboratively with partners within and outside the academic setting. You will also have a track record of high-quality peer reviewed publications/grant income appropriate to your career stage.

Lancaster Medical School provides a friendly environment strongly supporting the individual needs of each employee and actively promotes a healthy work-life balance. The Faculty is committed to family-friendly and flexible working policies and has held a Silver Athena SWAN award since 2014 in recognition of its good employment practice undertaken to address gender equality in higher education and research. 

The position is available for immediate start, and we are open to discussing flexible working arrangements including working week and days/hours worked, flexible start and finish times or condensed hours.

The role is open to being undertaken remotely but there will be certain duties/responsibilities that require in-person presence at Lancaster University. The balance will be agreed with the successful candidate.

You will join us on an indefinite contract however the roles remain contingent on external funding which currently is due to end on 30^th September 2028.

Please note: unless specified otherwise in the advert, all advertised roles are UK based.

Find out what it's like to work at Lancaster University, including information on our wide range of employee benefits, support networks and our policies and facilities for a family-friendly workplace.

The University recognises and celebrates good employment practice undertaken to address all inequality in higher education whilst promoting the importance and wellbeing for all our colleagues. 

We warmly welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of their age, religion, gender identity or expression, race, disability or sexual orientation, and are committed to promoting diversity, and equality of opportunity. 

Closing Date: 25 Oct 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £39,906 to £46,049 (Full time, indefinite with end date)

Location: Lancaster. Travel for fieldwork and project meetings as required.

Duration: 3 years with possibility of extension

We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual to support the delivery of two research fellowships and the associated research teams:

A Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellowship awarded to Prof Nick Graham to establish the Island-Ocean Research Hub. This new project will investigate island-ocean connectivity and the influence of seabird nutrients and island rewilding on island and marine ecology and ecosystem services. The project has collaborating parters at 4 other universities, fieldwork planned in 5 countries, and will employ a large team of researchers. Your role would support this fellowship for 0.5 FTE of your time (i.e. 2.5 days per week)

A UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship awarded to Dr Tim Lamont. This project will investigate mechanisms for scaling up tropical marine restoration (coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass), and the role of business sustainability initiatives in delivering large-scale ecosystem restoration. The project has collaborations with the world’s largest coral restoration programme (www.buildingcoral.com), and the private sector’s most widely used sustainability reporting standards (www.globalreporting.org). Your role would support this fellowship for 0.3 FTE of your time (i.e. 1.5 days per week)

 The role will include elements of the following, along with general support for the two projects: Fieldwork planning to include risk assessments, diving safety, ethics and research permits; fieldwork support and possible involvement as research assistant; lab work and organisation; website and logo development and maintenance; social media and public engagement support; team cohesion and coordination including organising socials and retreats; team visas and other needs; workshop and meeting organisation; budget oversight and spending; help with reporting; data management and requests for data sharing; maintaining contact with project partners and collaborators; welcoming and inducting visitors and new group members. 

You will work closely with Nick Graham and Tim Lamont, collaborate with other members of the research team, and coordinate with project partners.

Preferred candidates will have experience in marine / biological science and/or project management. A proactive and enthusiastic approach and good interpersonal skills are essential. 

Lancaster University is a research-intensive university, ranked in the top 10 of UK universities. The Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) is a large and multidisciplinary department, tackling environmental challenges across the natural and social sciences. Within LEC, there is particular strength in high diversity tropical systems, including coral reefs and tropical rainforests. LEC offers a highly collegial and stimulating environment for career development  based on departmental values and embedded Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) considerations and actions. We are committed to family-friendly and flexible working policies on an individual basis as well as the Athena SWAN Charter, which recognises and celebrates good employment practice undertaken to address gender equality in higher education and research. Furthermore, we are active and progressive around sustainability, wellbeing and decolonising agendas.

Applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. 

 What to include in each document of your application:

Cover Letter Please discuss why you are interested specifically in this position, and how it fits with your career goals. Please also describe any skills and related experience you have developed that are relevant to this post. Word limit 500 words. 

CV Please include a 2-page CV.

Supporting Statements: Please provide a supporting statement for each Personal Specification point that is listed as being scored via “Supporting Statements”. This should include examples that provide evidence of your experience and expertise. Aim for one paragraph per criteria (~50-200 words).

Referees: Contact information for at least two referees. At this stage, only contact details are required for referees, not letters of support.

For more information, see the Further Information link below.

Informal enquiries for issues not covered in the further information to Nick Graham nick.graham@lancaster.ac.uk or Tim Lamont tim.lamont@lancaster.ac.uk. Such enquiries are not necessary as part of the application and will not inform any decision. Applications without prior enquiry are welcome and will not be disadvantaged.

Closing Date: 30 Oct 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £33,002 to £37,694 part time indefinite with end date

Location: Lancaster. Travel for fieldwork and collaborations as required.

We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic temperate or warm-water marine scientist and/or community ecologist to join the Island-Ocean Research Hub. This new research hub will investigate island-ocean connectivity and the influence of seabirds and island rewilding on ecosystem structure, function, and benefits to people. This specific position will focus on how biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships and ecosystem recovery potential are influenced by seabird nutrient inputs. Potential study sites will include the inner and southern Seychelles, the Mediterranean Sea and island archipelagos around the UK, and ecosystems to explore include Mangroves, seagrass, coral reefs and kelp. This project is led out of Lancaster University, with a number of collaborating universities and NGOs. Fieldwork for the project will include periods in remote locations, working in small teams, and scuba and snorkel-based work, and experience of such working will be essential. The successful applicant will work closely with Prof Nick Graham on this project, and collaborate with other members of the research team, both in Lancaster and at collaborating institutions.

Preferred candidates will have a PhD in marine science/disturbance ecology, experience of fieldwork, skills in statistical modelling, and a proven ability to publish scientific papers. A proactive and enthusiastic approach and good interpersonal skills are essential. 

The Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) is a large and multidisciplinary department, tackling environmental challenges across the natural and social sciences. Within LEC, there is particular strength in high diversity tropical systems, including coral reefs and tropical rainforests. LEC offers a highly collegial and stimulating environment for career development  based on departmental values and embedded Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) considerations and actions. 

Please include:

Cover Letter Please discuss why you are interested specifically in this position, and how it fits with your career goals. Please also describe any skills you have developed that are relevant to this post, and how you may seek to develop this area of research. 500 word limit.

CV Please include a 2-page CV.

Publication record: Please upload a list of your publications, clearly distinguishing those that are published and those that are under review. Please do not include those in preparation.

Supporting Statements: Please provide a supporting statement for each Personal Specification point that is listed as being scored via “Supporting Statements”. This should include examples that provide evidence of your experience and expertise. Aim for one paragraph per criteria (~50-200 words).

Referees: Contact information for at least two referees. At this stage, only contact details are required for referees, not letters of support.

Informal enquiries for issues not covered to Prof Nick Graham nick.graham@lancaster.ac.uk. Such enquiries are not necessary as part of the application and will not inform any decision. Applications without prior enquiry are welcome and will not be disadvantaged.

Closing Date: 30 Oct 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £39,906 to £46,049 (Full-Time/Indefinite with End Date)

Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, UK

An exciting opportunity exists for a marine scientist or community ecologist to contribute to a Royal Society funded project: Harnessing island-ocean connections to support ecosystems and people.

Salary: Grade 7

Hours: Full time

Location: Lancaster. Travel for fieldwork and collaborations as required.

Duration: 4 years

We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic temperate or warm-water marine scientist and/or community ecologist to join the Island-Ocean Research Hub. This new research hub will investigate island-ocean connectivity and the influence of seabirds and island rewilding on ecosystem structure, function, and benefits to people. This specific position will focus on the role of seabird nutrient run-off, the extent to which those nutrients are integrated into foundation species, and how food web structures are influenced by the nutrient subsidies. Potential study sites will include the inner and southern Seychelles, the Mediterranean Sea and island archipelagos around the UK, and ecosystems to explore include Mangroves, seagrass, coral reefs and kelp. This project is led out of Lancaster University, with a number of collaborating universities and NGOs. Fieldwork for the project will include periods in remote locations, working in small teams, and scuba and snorkel-based work, and experience of such working will be essential. The successful applicant will work closely with Prof Nick Graham on this project, and collaborate with other members of the research team, both in Lancaster and at collaborating institutions.

Preferred candidates will have a PhD in marine science/community ecology, experience of fieldwork, skills in statistical modelling, and a proven ability to publish scientific papers. A proactive and enthusiastic approach and good interpersonal skills are essential. 

Lancaster University is a research-intensive university, ranked in the top 10 of UK universities. The Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) is a large and multidisciplinary department, tackling environmental challenges across the natural and social sciences. Within LEC, there is particular strength in high diversity tropical systems, including coral reefs and tropical rainforests. LEC offers a highly collegial and stimulating environment for career development  based on departmental values and embedded Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) considerations and actions. 

Applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. 

We anticipate interviews will be held in November 2026. 

What to include in each document of your application:

Cover Letter Please discuss why you are interested specifically in this position, how it fits with your career goals, describe any relevant skills, and how you may seek to develop this area of research. 500 word limit.

CV Please include a 2-page CV.

Publication record: Please upload a list of your publications, clearly distinguishing those that are published and those that are under review. Please do not include those in preparation.

Supporting Statements: Please provide a supporting statement for each Personal Specification point that is listed as being scored via “Supporting Statements”. Aim for one paragraph per criteria (~50-200 words).

Referees: Contact information for at least two referees. At this stage, only contact details are required for referees, not letters of support.

For more information, see the Further Information link below.

Informal enquiries for issues not covered in the further information to Prof Nick Graham nick.graham@lancaster.ac.uk. Such enquiries are not necessary as part of the application and will not inform any decision. 

Closing Date: 30 Oct 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £39,906 to £46,049 (Full time, indefinite with end date)