This postdoctoral role offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to the PEACEPLUS-funded MOSAIC Project, a cross-border initiative advancing evidence-based marine management along the Northern Ireland– Donegal Bay coastline. Working within the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast, the postholder will join a collaborative team focused on habitat mapping and conservation of OSPAR-listed elasmobranchs (sharks and rays).
The purpose of this role is to deliver the project’s spatial and statistical modelling components and integrate advanced marine sensing data into practical conservation outputs. The successful candidate will develop AUV survey plans, including transect design, sensor configuration, and sampling parameters, to ensure high-quality data capture. They will manage and quality-control BRUV and AUV datasets from contracted providers, ensuring alignment with recognised data standards such as EMODnet, GBIF, and INSPIRE.
A key responsibility is applying advanced modelling approaches—GAMs, Random Forest, boosted models, and multivariate methods—to quantify habitat associations, map species–environment relationships, and identify high-priority conservation areas, including potential flapper skate egg-laying sites. The postholder will also generate high-resolution maps and reproducible analytical workflows in R, Python, and GIS platforms.
The role involves close engagement with the Loughs Agency and partner institutions through project meetings, data-sharing workshops, and technical reporting. This post is ideal for a researcher seeking to apply rigorous geospatial analysis to deliver policy-relevant science that strengthens marine spatial planning in a key cross border region.
About t he person:
We are seeking a highly capable Postdoctoral Research Fellow with strong quantitative, geospatial, and analytical expertise to lead the spatial modelling activities of the MOSAIC Project. The ideal candidate will be an organised, independent, and collaborative researcher who can integrate advanced ecological understanding with rigorous data analysis.
Applicants must:
Strong communication skills are required, including the ability to present spatial analyses effectively through maps, reports, and publications to scientific, stakeholder, and policy audiences. The successful candidate will be able to work productively within a cross-border, multi-institutional team, engaging closely with the Loughs Agency, project partners, and postgraduate researchers.
We are looking for someone analytical, self-motivated, and able to manage complex datasets while meeting project timelines. A willingness to travel to coastal field sites and partner meetings across Northern Ireland and Donegal Bay is essential.
This role suits a researcher committed to producing high-impact geospatial science that supports marine conservation and policy development.
To be successful at shortlisting stage, please ensure you clearly evidence in your application how you meet the essential and, where applicable, desirable criteria listed in the Candidate Information.
This post is available for 36 months. Fixed term contract posts are available for the stated period in the first instance but in particular circumstances may be renewed or made permanent subject to availability of funding.
What we offer:
Beyond a competitive salary, the University offers an attractive benefits package including a holiday entitlement of up to 8.4 weeks a year, pension schemes and development opportunities. We support staff wellbeing with flexible working options, work-life balance initiatives and support for physical and mental health. You can find more detail on all of this and more at https://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/HumanResources/pay-reward-and-benefits/
Queen's University is committed to promoting equality of opportunity to all. We subscribe to Equality Charter Marks such as the Diversity Charter Mark NI and Athena Swan and have established staff networks such as iRise (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and International Staff Network) and PRISM (LGBTQ+) which help us progress equality.
For further information on our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, please visit www.qub.ac.uk/diversity.
If you are an international applicant and don't already hold a visa that permits you to take up the role you are applying for, please use the information provided on our website to self-assess whether the University is likely to be able to support a visa application - http://go.qub.ac.uk/internationalstaffsupport
Candidate Information