Job Description

Salary

The starting salary will be from 43,482 on Grade F, depending on qualifications and experience.

Package

Generous holiday allowances, flexible working, pension scheme and relocation package (if applicable).

Job category/type

Research

Date posted

30/10/2025

Job reference

Q10916

Faculty of Science, Environment and Economy

This new full-time post is available on a fixed-term basis from 01/02/2026 to 31/01/2029 in the Department of Geography, with a possible extension until December 2031.

We welcome applications from candidates interested in working part-time hours or job-sharing arrangements.

The Post

We invite applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the European Research Council-funded Advanced research project BIOSSCI 'Social Science Transformations of Biosecurity.'

The post will work with the Principal Investigator (PI) Professor Stephen Hinchliffe to design and deliver a programme of research that provides evidence on UK-based policy and practice in relation to farm animal health and biosecurity. It will involve working with key actors (farmers, farm workers, veterinarians as well as policy makers and scientists) to build an account of the ways in which animal health is understood, organised and practised. The successful candidate will have a background and experience in one of human geography, sociology, anthropology or science and technology studies; they will be familiar with a range of social science methods (including surveys, participant observation, interviews, qualitative data analysis). They will be able to self-manage and take initiative in developing field work opportunities. The post is one of three initial PDRA appointments to a five-year project and will work with internationally based colleagues in Bangladesh and South Africa to provide comparative analyses and co-learning between case country settings.

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

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.

Benefits

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

41 days leave per year options for flexible working numerous discounts at leading retailers onsite gyms on all of our campus' and a cycle to work scheme sector leading policies 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 stunning campus environments in Exeter and Cornwall, in the beautiful South West of England

Further information

Please contact Professor Stephen Hinchliffe, stephen.hinchliffe@exeter.ac.uk or (01392) 725400