Location: Lancaster. Substantial fieldwork on coral reefs and UK coastal waters required.

Contract length: 2 years.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced marine field ecologist to lead field data collection and contribute to the ecological research programme within BEACON (Behavioural Ecology AI for CONservation action), a new interdisciplinary research programme funded by UKRI. BEACON will develop the first integrated AI-enabled system for monitoring ecosystems and guiding conservation decisions through changes in animal behaviour. You will work closely with the PI (Dr Sally Keith) and an interdisciplinary team to plan, coordinate and successfully complete fieldwork with international partners across multiple biogeographic regions. You will lead analysis of field data and take a leading role in publishing findings as appropriate. The role includes supporting the transfer of the monitoring pipeline to UK coastal waters and behavioural monitoring of wrasse in marine protected areas.

We are looking for someone with a passion for understanding how animal behaviour shapes ecosystems, and the drive to develop new skills at the interface of field ecology and AI. You should have a PhD in marine ecology, reef ecology or a related discipline, with strong experience in underwater field ecology in tropical and/or UK coastal settings. Essential skills include experience with underwater survey methods, a recognised advanced SCUBA diving certification (e.g., HSE Professional SCUBA, PADI Divemaster), experience leading field teams in remote locations and management of large datasets. Experience with photogrammetry, acoustic monitoring or field experiments in marine systems is desirable. You must have a proactive and enthusiastic approach, strong interpersonal skills, willingness to undertake fieldwork in remote international locations for extended periods, and a commitment to interdisciplinarity, open science and responsible AI. 

You will join a growing interdisciplinary team within the LEC-REEFS research group linked strongly to the Data Science and AI Institute @Lancaster (DSAIL), working alongside AI specialists, behavioural ecologists and conservation practitioners. You will work with an international network of partners including the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority, Prof Sergio Floeter (Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina), Dr José Paula (University of Lisbon), Cefas, Natural England, Renew Earth and the ReefRUV Network spanning multiple countries and biogeographic regions. The post offers considerable scope for developing original ecological insights across an international network of reef systems. Dedicated training and mentoring will enable the successful candidate to develop practical AI skills, allowing them to work confidently at the interface of behavioural ecology and AI.

Lancaster University is a research-intensive university, ranked in the top 1% of universities globally and in the top 10 in the UK. Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) is a large and multidisciplinary department tackling environmental challenges across the natural and social sciences, with strengths in high-diversity tropical systems. 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. 

EDI is strongly embedded within LEC-REEFS and DSAIL, and we actively work to create an inclusive environment where researchers from all backgrounds can thrive. We are committed to inclusive fieldwork practices and will work with the successful candidate to plan fieldwork schedules compatible with personal circumstances where possible. We recognise that career paths are not always linear and welcome applications from candidates who have taken career breaks or worked outside academia. We welcome informal enquiries about flexible working arrangements, and applicants from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

We anticipate shortlisting in September 2026, with interviews shortly thereafter. The successful candidate is expected to start in Jan 2027.

What to include in each document of your application:

CV: Please include a 2-page CV. You do not have to include publications in this document.

Publication List: Please include a complete list of all publications. You may include publications that are accepted and not yet published, but please do not include publications that are in review or in submission.

Cover Letter: Please outline why you are interested specifically in this position, how it fits with your career goals, and describe any ideas you have for methodological or scientific developments that could strengthen the project. Maximum 800 words. 

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. Please write one paragraph per criteria, with each paragraph limited to 200 words.

Referees: Please include contact information for at least two referees.

Further enquiries: Informal enquiries about the scope of the research or working arrangements are welcome to Dr Sally Keith (sally.keith@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: 13 Sep 2026

Department: Research

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

Location: Lancaster. Travel for collaborations as required.

Contract length: 2 years 9 months.

We are seeking a highly motivated researcher to help shape the AI approaches within the broader scientific vision of BEACON (Behavioural Ecology AI for CONservation action), a new interdisciplinary research programme funded by UKRI. BEACON will develop the first integrated AI-enabled system for monitoring ecosystems and guiding conservation decisions through changes in animal behaviour. You will work closely with the PI (Dr Sally Keith), Co-I (Prof Chris Nemeth, Turing Fellow) and an interdisciplinary team to develop novel AI approaches for automated behavioural monitoring from underwater video, contributing across computer vision, machine learning, edge AI and interpretable decision-support systems. These methods will be integrated with ecological experiments and mechanistic models to create real-world conservation tools.

We are looking for someone with a strong technical foundation and curiosity about applying AI to complex real-world problems. You should have a PhD in computer vision, machine learning, AI or a related discipline, with practical experience developing and applying deep learning approaches to real-world datasets. Familiarity with ecology, animal behaviour or environmental science would be advantageous but is not essential. A commitment to open science, reproducible research and responsible AI principles is essential.

You will join a growing interdisciplinary team within the LEC-REEFS research group, linked strongly to the Data Science and AI Institute @Lancaster (DSAIL), working alongside behavioural ecologists, field ecologists and conservation practitioners. The project draws on an extensive archive of underwater video footage from the ReefRUV Network through Prof Sergio Floeter (Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina), and will collaborate with an international network of academic and conservation partners including Dr José Paula (University of Lisbon), the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority, Cefas, Natural England and Renew Earth. Dedicated training and mentoring will support the successful candidate in developing expertise in ecology, enabling them to work confidently at the interface of AI and conservation.

Lancaster University is a research-intensive university, ranked in the top 1% of universities globally and in the top 10 in the UK. Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) is a large and multidisciplinary department tackling environmental challenges across the natural and social sciences, with strengths in high-diversity tropical systems. 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. 

EDI is strongly embedded within LEC-REEFS and DSAIL, and we actively work to create an inclusive environment where researchers from all backgrounds can thrive. We are particularly committed to improving diversity in AI and data science, and welcome applications from candidates who are underrepresented in these fields. We recognise that career paths are not always linear and welcome applications from candidates who have taken career breaks or worked outside academia. We also welcome informal enquiries about flexible working arrangements. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

We anticipate shortlisting in September 2026, with interviews shortly thereafter. The successful candidate is expected to start in Jan 2027.

What to include in each document of your application:

CV: Please include a 2-page CV. You do not have to include publications in this document.

Publication List: Please include a complete list of all publications. You may include publications that are accepted and not yet published, but please do not include publications that are in review or in submission.

Cover Letter: Please outline why you are interested specifically in this position, how it fits with your career goals, and describe any ideas you have for methodological or scientific developments that could strengthen the project. Maximum 800 words. 

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. Please write one paragraph per criteria, with each paragraph limited to 200 words.

Referees: Please include contact information for at least two referees.

Further enquiries: Informal enquiries about the scope of the research or working arrangements are welcome to Dr Sally Keith (sally.keith@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: 13 Sep 2026

Department: Research

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

We are seeking a motivated researcher to join an EPSRC-funded project on the cyber security of digital medical devices. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to research addressing one of the major challenges in modern healthcare: ensuring that connected medical technologies are safe, secure and resilient.

The post is available as either Research Associate or Senior Research Associate, depending on qualifications and experience. It is offered full-time for 18 months in the first instance, starting in October 2026. 

You will work on a cutting-edge interdisciplinary project that aims to identify cyber security vulnerabilities and develop innovative technological solutions for digital medical devices used within the health service. The role will involve close collaboration with experts in computer science, cyber security and medical sciences, as well as engagement with NHS clinical partners and professionals from the medical device industry.

You will join Lancaster University’s growing Security and Protection Science community, which brings together expertise to address major societal and technological security challenges. Cyber security research and education at Lancaster has been strengthened through a £19 million investment in staff, equipment and infrastructure, building on the University’s reputation as one of the UK’s largest interdisciplinary cyber and data research communities.

You should have, or expect to obtain by the time of appointment, a good undergraduate degree and relevant experience in one or more of the following areas:

• embedded systems
• wireless communication systems, including Bluetooth-based communications
• secure cyber systems
• Internet of Things technologies
• software engineering

Experience in medical technologies, cyber security, or practical work with embedded systems and wireless communications would be particularly advantageous but not essential. A Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant area would be desirable but is not essential for the position.

The postholder will be based in Lancaster University’s School of Computing and Communications, working closely with Lancaster Medical School and the University’s interdisciplinary Security and Protection Science community.

Applications should include a one-page expression of interest and a two-page CV.

Interviews for shortlisted candidates will take place in September 2026. Start date for this position is October 2026. 

For informal enquiries please contact Dr. Matthew Bradbury (M.S.Bradbury@lancaster.ac.uk) or Prof. Nigel Davies (n.a.davies@lancaster.ac.uk) in the School of Computing and Communications, or Prof. Neil Reeves in the Medical School (n.d.reeves1@lancaster.ac.uk). 

Closing Date: 30 Aug 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £33,002 to £37,694 (Full time, indefinite with end date)

Publish Date: August 2026

Time to run: 4-6 weeks

The Lancaster University School of Physics and Astronomy seeks to appoint up to three postdoctoral researchers in supernova environments. The successful candidate(s) will work with Prof Isobel Hook on the ERC Advanced Grant project “Sparkles”, which aims to use new observations of Type Ia supernovae and their host galaxies to improve measurements of the cosmological parameters. 

The work will primarily focus on new, high-resolution imaging from the Euclid mission. In addition, new survey data from the Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), the 4MOST spectroscopic instrument and potentially NASA’s Roman Space Telescope will be used. We are seeking to recruit in one or more of the following areas:

• Galaxy morphology and stellar populations within galaxies, as related to supernovae. 
• Near-IR detections of supernovae and constraints on dust obscuration 
• Type Ia SN cosmology, including correction of environmental effects. 

Those with experience in the above areas are encouraged to apply. Experience in the management of large datasets and the use of software tools relevant for the selection, follow-up and analysis of supernovae and their host galaxies are also desirable. 

The position(s) are funded for 4 years with a budget for travel and computing. Start dates are expected to range from January 2027 to January 2028. 

In addition to joining the Sparkles team, the selected candidate(s) will join the wider Observational Astrophysics group at Lancaster. You 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. 

Applications must be submitted through the Lancaster University online portal. You must have earned, or be close to completion of, a PhD in astronomy or a related field by the start date. Further criteria are given in the job description and person specification. You should submit (1) a curriculum vitae with publications list; (2) a statement describing your interest in and suitability for the position(s), not to exceed 2 pages; and (3) a list containing contact information for 2 reference letter writers. Letters of reference will be requested for shortlisted candidates. 

We welcome those who would contribute to the further diversification of our School.

Closing Date: 18 Sep 2026

Department: Research

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

The project requires Postdoctoral Researcher with expertise in optoelectronic devices and photonic integration. Experiences on semiconductor frequency-comb lasers, III-V compound device processing, semiconductors epitaxy, and optics are favourable.

Appointment as a Research Associate is dependent on having a PhD, including those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD (in which case appointment will initially be made at research assistant - Grade 5, and amended to research associate - Grade 6, when the PhD is awarded).

The position is available from 1 Nov 2026.

Fixed-term: The fund for this post is available for 36 months in the first instance.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. We particularly encourage women and/or candidates from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background to apply for this vacancy.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Informal enquiries can be addressed to Dr Qiandong Zhuang (q.zhuang@lancaster.ac.uk).

Closing Date: 30 Aug 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £33,002 to £37,694 (Full-Time/Indefinite with End Date)

We seek to appoint 1 full-time post-doctoral research associate (starting Summer 2026) to complete a team of 4 researchers who are exploring novel concepts for security controls and assurance in converged and ultra-large scale infrastructures.

The successful candidate for this role will develop new techniques for orchestrating security controls in dynamic and complex systems undergoing frequent changes to their function and security requirements. This work will involve researching how to introduce interactions between security controls to achieve security goals and exploring the trade-offs of doing so. We seek to appoint a researcher who has either experience in abstract modelling of distributed systems or practical experience deploying and experimenting with security controls.

As a Programme Grant there is considerable flexibility in this research agenda. This allows the right candidate to have a significant ability to direct their research activities. This is a great opportunity for an individual to build their research career.

Key duties of this post include:

• Conducting original research to orchestrate security in future complex distributed systems.
• Developing high quality and impactful publications.
• Collaborating with academic, industry partners and other EPSRC projects.

 The successful candidate will have a PhD in Computer Science or equivalent with experience in cyber security or distributed systems.

The School of Computing and Communications at Lancaster University offers a highly inclusive and stimulating environment for career development, and you will be exposed to a range of further opportunities over the course of this post. We are committed to family-friendly and flexible working policies, as well as the Athena SWAN Charter, which recognises and celebrates good employment practice undertaken to address gender equality in higher education and research.

You will join us on an indefinite contract; however, the role remains contingent on external funding, which for these roles initially ends after 24 months (with the possibility to extend further).

The candidates will be working under the direct supervision of Prof. Neeraj Suri (neeraj.suri@lancaster.ac.uk)  and Dr. Matthew Bradbury (m.s.bradbury@lancaster.ac.uk). We welcome enquires prior to the submission of an application!

Closing Date: 01 Sep 2026

Department: Research

Salary: £39,355 to £45,413 (Full time, indefinite with end date)