Job Description

Salary

The starting salary will be from 33,951 Grade (E, depending on qualifications and experience.

Contractual hours

36.5

Package

This new full-time post is available on a fixed term basis from December 2025 until September 2029.

Job category/type

Research

Date posted

30/10/2025

Job reference

Q10914

Environment, Science and Economy Faculty

This new full time post is available on a fixed term basis from December 2025 until September 2029.

The post

The Faculty wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Associate to support the data analysis and write up phase of UK NERC funded project: Sensitivity of tropical forest to heat stress: Trop-heat. This post is available from 01/12/2025 to 30/09/2026. The post will work closely with project lead Professor Lina Mercado and Co-Investigator Associate Professor Sophie Fauset from Plymouth University.

The project has collected various data sets from experiments in Colombia and Rwanda, comprising leaf temperature time series (various species at two sites in each country), physiological measurements (photosynthetic, isoprene and chlorophyl fluorescence temperature responses), leaf traits related to thermoregulation and thermotolerance, growth and sapflow (the latter two only available for Colombia). We have a team that has advanced analysis of substantial data from Colombia but not for Rwanda.

The successful applicant will contribute to help summarising project outcomes, identify and perform remaining analyses (i.e. datasets from Rwanda: leaf traits and leaf temperatures) and possibly integrate with results from Colombia, guided by project hypotheses and write up project manuscripts and submit to peer review journals. There is a strong need of very good team working skills and flexibility as the post involves extensive collaboration with other team members that have been performing data analysis. Willingness to collaborate closely with other team members (i.e. helping supervision of data analysis) is also key.

The candidate is expected to report research progress and meet frequently with project investigators and other team members and present work at local, national and international events.

The job application should demonstrate high-level skills in data analysis including the use of advanced computational and statistical tools, experience with plant physiological datasets and an ability to lead and co-author high-quality scientific publications within relatively short time periods.

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 possess a PhD in a closely related topic to the project or nearing completion in environmental science or possess an equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study and be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the discipline and of research methods and techniques to work within established research programmes.

We seek applicants with demonstrated expertise in plant ecophysiology and heat stress research. The ideal candidate will have:

Strong analytical skills with proficiency in R and/or Python for analysing complex physiological datasets Extensive experience measuring and interpreting leaf and canopy thermal regulation, including with thermal imaging (leaf/canopy temperature analysis) and plant trait measurements Knowledge and understanding of leaf/canopy energy balance theory Thorough understanding of plant physiological responses to heat stress, supported by prior research in this area A track record of scientific writing, i.e first-author publications or submissions to peer-reviewed journals.

Please ensure you read the and Person Specification for full details of this role.

What we can offer you

Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research; Support teams that understand the University wide research and 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 supporting 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*

The University of Exeter

We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.

Our world-leading research impact has grown more than any other Russell Group university in recent years, and we are home to some of the world's most influential researchers, seeking to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today. More than 99 percent of our research is of international quality and 47 percent is world-leading (2021 Research Excellence Framework).

We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students. Read about our world leading research - Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.

With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.

We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.

Further information

For further information please contact Lina Mercado, e-mail l.mercado@exeter.ac.uk