A NERC-funded PDRA position is available for 34 months working at the Natural History Museum, London, with Professor Ian Barnes and Dr Selina Brace, on the recovery and analysis of DNA from bumblebee museum specimens. This work is part of a larger project investigating insect pollinator responses over a century of UK land-use change. The advertised position will focus on whole genome sequencing of museum specimens, and analysis of these data to infer past patterns of population size change, admixture and selection. The post-holder will work closely with Dr Richard Gill and his team in the Department of Life Sciences at the Silwood Park campus of Imperial College London, who are conducting population trait evolution and manipulative experiments as complementary components of the project. The project also involves working with the imaging and digitisation teams at the Natural History Museum, and museum curators and other leading researchers from around the UK. The overall aim f or the project is to better understand the dynamics of how insect pollinator populations have (and will) change in response to changes in land-use and associated factors, and how they adapt to newly emerging environments and the impact on fitness.
The post will be based at the Natural History Museum, and will make use of the Museum’s excellent molecular laboratory facilities and extensive collections. The successful applicant will be interested in the recovery of DNA sequences from museum specimens, and the application of these data in evolutionary biology and applying this to eco-evolutionary questions.
Salary will be £33,416 per annum plus benefits.
Informal enquiries can be addressed to Dr Selina Brace (s.brace@nhm.ac.uk) or Prof Ian Barnes (i.barnes@nhm.ac.uk).
Closing date: 9am on Monday 16 October 2017.
How to apply
Please complete your application online in our recruitment portal.
Apply at: https://careers.nhm.ac.uk/templates/CIPHR/jobdetail_344.aspx
You should upload the following documents:
- A comprehensive curriculum vitae giving details of relevant achievements in recent posts as well as your education and professional qualifications.
- A covering letter that summarises your interest in this post, providing evidence of your ability to match the criteria outlined in the role competencies. Please ensure your letter includes details of your latest salary and notice period.