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Researcher in River Ecology
£28,608 to £32,089 (pro rata)
Eight-month fixed-term contract at 0.8 FT or equivalent
About the Role
NTU researchers are globally recognised leaders in the discipline of freshwater ecology. To ensure the real-world relevance of our research, we work with a breadth of external partners. We are seeking to recruit a Researcher to join our team to contribute to a collaborative project with the Environment Agency and the charity WildFish.
This post is within the burgeoning discipline of temporary river ecology. The project aims to advance understanding of how aquatic invertebrate communities respond to human pressures in these dynamic ecosystems. Enabled by our collaborators, we will collate all available data describing these communities and the environments they inhabit, including their modification by human pressures. We will focus on ‘winterbourne’ chalk streams—ecosystems recognised for their biodiversity, including rare and specialist species.
Your primary role will be to analyse the collated data to characterise community responses to environmental variation. You’ll calculate indices representing community health and then model index responses to environmental drivers. Your findings will enable us to evaluate the capacity of each index to distinguish responses to natural environmental variation—specifically, seasonal river drying—and to human pressures.
Working closely with our collaborators will ensure project results are immediately used to improve river health assessments in winterbourne streams. We also expect to produce a scientific paper to share findings with our global research community, and you’ll have opportunities to attend stakeholder meetings, thus strengthening your professional network.
We welcome applications from candidates who have scientific understanding of river ecosystems, as well as experience of using advanced modelling approaches to analyse ecological datasets.
For more details, please see the role profile. We'll consider applications even if you don't meet every one of the requirements, so don't be put off if you don't match them perfectly. To ensure the diverse needs of our team are met we offer flexible working patterns. We're happy to discuss full-time or part-time options, as well as offering either on-campus or remote working.
This role is funded for 0.8 FT (full-time, i.e. 30 hours per week) for 8 months at grade F salary pay point 519, and the exact contract end date will therefore depend on whether the successful candidate works full-time or part-time, as well as their agreed pay point.
Closing date; 23:59pm Sunday 11th January 2026
Proposed interview date; Friday 23rd January 2026
About Us
The School of Science and Technology at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is an exciting multidisciplinary environment for learning, teaching and research, with some of the best facilities in the UK.
We pride ourselves on delivering high-quality teaching and diverse, real-world research. We specialise in biosciences, chemistry, computing and technology, as well as engineering, forensic science, mathematics, physics and sport science. Our Biosciences team includes global research leaders in the discipline of freshwater ecology.
Teaching in the Department of Biosciences is research-led, providing students with cutting-edge knowledge and access to high-specification facilities. It is one of the many reasons why our courses are accredited by professional bodies including the Royal Society of Biology and the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environment Management.
For any informal queries about the role or the team, please contact Prof. Rachel Stubbington (Professor of River Ecology) at rachel.stubbington@ntu.ac.uk
Join Us
- 30 - 35 days annual leave per year plus statutory bank holidays and 5 university closure days pro rata
- Hybrid working - we encourage and offer a mixture of office working and working from home. You're empowered to define how you work best for the benefits of your stakeholders.
- Flexibility - take ownership over how you get your work done. We're open to different working patterns and approaches.
- Salary Sacrifice Retirement Savings Plan with life assurance and income protection. Available to colleagues who choose to opt out of the contractual pension scheme. Minimum colleague contributions of 0% matched with minimum NTU contributions of 8%.
- Access to a wealth of formal and informal professional development opportunities to develop your skills and advance your career.
- Range of health and wellbeing services, including a Health Cash Plan, voluntary benefits, discounts, and savings for all colleagues.
- And a whole lot more…Find out more about the range of benefits we offer.
Come and be part of our success. Apply today.
Safe and Inclusive
At NTU, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our students and colleagues. By championing positive wellbeing, we promote an environment where all can thrive and reach their full potential. We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring and we encourage people from underrepresented communities and backgrounds to apply to join our team.
Please note that unfortunately, this role has been assessed as ineligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration points-based immigration system however, we recommend that you assess your eligibility before applying for this position. For more information visit the Government Skilled Worker visa support page. However, applications are welcome from candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK, but who would be eligible to obtain a valid visa via another route. Please consult the Home Office website for further information.
Please note that this role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and successful applicants will be asked to declare any unspent criminal convictions.
