Graduate Research Assistant
This part-time (0.5 FTE) post is available immediately. This post is offered as a fixed term contract and is funded by ENSURE (CUHK/UoE) until 06/10/2027.
In line with the University’s fair employment for all principles, any further funding opportunities identified will be reviewed and discussed during the contract.
Salary will be from £33,951 (pro rata) on Grade E subject to knowledge, skills and experience.
We welcome applications from candidates interested in working part-time hours or job-sharing arrangements.
The Role
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
The Faculty wishes to recruit a Graduate Research Assistant to support the work of Dr Robert Ellis. This ENSURE funded post is available immediately. The successful applicant will contribute to a project titled ‘Next-generation probiotics’ which is investigating the potential to isolate novel probiotic bacterial strains from marine bivalves across the SW, with a view to developing probiotics, with application for marine restoration and aquaculture. The project is working as part of an international interdisciplinary team, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Exeter and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
The post will include both laboratory work and field work and will involve running wet-lab experiments in the universities Aquatic Resources Centre. This work will involve field collection of bivalves, isolation, culture and identification of microbial communities associated with bivalve hosts, culture of selected strains of marine bacteria within the Roseobacter clade. Subsequently the individual will develop laboratory bacterial inoculations and run experiments to appraise the physiological impacts of the bacterial inoculation on a range of bivalve hosts. Lastly the post will undertake the work to deliver field deployments of inoculated bivalves – working to support application for authorisation for work from the relevant authorities, designing and delivering field trials and appraising the impacts of probiotic exposure on hosts, compared to control exposed comparators.
About You
The successful applicant will be able to present information on research progress and outcomes, communicate complex information, orally, in writing and electronically and prepare proposals and applications to external bodies.
Applicants will be educated to first degree level or possess an equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study or equivalent experience and be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the discipline and of research methods and techniques to work within established research programmes. Applicants will have experience designing and running aquatic experiments using marine bivalves, ideally with experience appraising the physiological performance of mussels and oysters. This will include, but not be limited to, measuring heart rate, gape, oxygen consumption and feeding rate, concurrently in marine bivalves, across a range of environmental conditions. They will also have experience working with probiotic exposures in marine bivalves, as well as the microbiological skills to isolate, characterise and culture targeted microbial communities naturally present within natural bivalve populations, and have experience working with selective techniques to isolate the targeted probiotic strains.
Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.
Further information
For further information please contact Dr Robert Ellis, e-mail [email protected] or telephone (01392) 726958.
Transform Your Career and Help Shape a Greener, Healthier, and Fairer Future
Join the University of Exeter, a top 200 Russel Group university (QS & THE World University Rankings 2025), excelling in teaching (triple Gold rating, TEF 2023) and leading groundbreaking research in the beautiful southwest of England.
We are committed to understanding different cultures and perspectives, supporting diverse leadership, and striving for social justice. We encourage applications from all groups underrepresented in our community, including racially minoritised individuals and those with disabilities. Our inclusive, merit based recruitment processes seek to embrace a diverse set of experiences to ensure colleagues feel supported equitably. With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 140 countries, we foster a culture where everyone can thrive.
You can read more about our current accreditations and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here, including our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.
What we can offer you:
- Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines;
- Support teams that understand the University wide teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly;
- An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development;
- Our Exeter Academic initiative supports high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career;
- A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a Fertility Treatment Policy;
- A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon/Cornwall.
How we can help
If you are considering applying and need support to do so, please get in touch with us at
[email protected]. You can request reasonable adjustments within your application or by contacting us. You can also choose to be considered under our Disability Confident Scheme and find out here how this is managed during our recruitment and onboarding process.
