About the job:
Ammonia (NH₃) deposition poses a significant threat to peatlands, disrupting their slow forming carbon cycles and weakening their ability to act as long term carbon sinks. We are seeking a Research Fellow to join PEACE Air, a major all island initiative funded by PEACEPLUS and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). The programme aims to improve air quality and protect public health across Northern Ireland and Ireland through evidence based policy, innovation, and cross border collaboration. This role offers an exciting opportunity to investigate how agricultural NH₃ emissions affect peatland ecosystems across the island.
The successful candidate will lead research integrating remote sensing, fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and geospatial methods, including GIS and geomatics, to assess the vulnerability and response of peatlands to atmospheric nitrogen inputs. The post forms part of a wider research effort examining ecosystem responses to air pollution, with a strong focus on advanced spatial and environmental data analysis.
Based at Queen’s University Belfast and working closely with Technological University Dublin, the Research Fellow will contribute to a dynamic, multi institutional team. The role requires initiative, independence, and strong communication skills to plan and deliver research activities, collaborate with project partners, and support outreach. A key responsibility will be coordinating a Peatland Forum on ammonia impacts, connecting researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers.
About the Person
Applicants should have experience with remote sensing data (satellite, LiDAR, drone or aerial imagery), strong geospatial analytical skills, and proven field and/or laboratory experience in land use change, ecosystem dynamics, biodiversity, or biogeochemistry. Experience working in peatlands or other sensitive environments is highly desirable.
Essential Criteria:
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 a fixed term contract available for approximately 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
