Research Fellow in Soil Biogeochemistry (ENVEE1306)

Are you an ambitious researcher looking for your next challenge? Do you have a background in experimental biogeochemisty? Do you want to further your career in one of the UK’s leading research intensive Universities?

You will be a key member of the Natural Environment Research Council funded project “Locked Up: The role of biotic and abiotic interactions in the stabilisation and persistence of soil organic carbon” and will work with the research team at Leeds, and collaborators at University of Lancaster and Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. 

It is the central hypothesis of Locked Up that the interactions between soil microbes and minerals play a major role in the stabilisation and preservation of soil organic carbon. To this end, you will embark on an ambitious experimental campaign to investigate the formation, stability and degradation of organomineral complexes and aggregates. You will determine how organic moieties and soil minerals interact using a variety of newly available high-resolution analytical techniques. You will also investigate the extent to which organic moieties ‘locked up’ in different organominerals are broken down by microbes. You will help design and undertake experiments, generate data, and carry out data analysis and publication.

You will have, or be close to obtaining, a PhD in Earth or Environmental Science and have extensive experience of working in a biogeochemistry laboratory. You will also have knowledge of aqueous geochemistry, including mineral sorption processes. Experience of conducting mineral sorption experiments, particularly with organic compounds, microbial degradation experiments, and/or with high-resolution techniques for investigating the mineral interface is desirable. You will show a strong commitment to publishing scientific results at an international level.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

Professor Caroline Peacock, Professor of Biogeochemistry

Tel: +44 (0)113 343 7877, email: C.L.Peacock@leeds.ac.uk

Closing Date: 19 Mar 2019
Category: Research