Research Associate - "The biophysics of aerial electroreception in arthropods"

The role

A Postdoctoral Research Associate position is available in the groups of Professor Daniel Robert at the School of Biological Sciences and Dr. Isaac Chenchiah at the School of Mathematics. The post is funded for three years and is supported by a grant from the UK BBSRC. The project is entitled The biophysics of aerial electroreception in arthropods and investigates the sensory mechanisms subtending electroreception in air.

What will you be doing?

The main responsibilities of this post will be to provide high-quality scientific expertise to investigate behavioural and sensory mechanisms of aerial electroreception. Working in a multidisciplinary team, the postholder will champion the neuroethological approach to research, addressing proximate and ultimate outstanding questions as to how and why bees and other arthropods detect the weak electric fields. What do insects or spiders make of the electrostatic environment? Are they several ways to detect electric fields? Other duties include the development of new behavioural assays and the procurement and maintenance of some of the species investigated.

You should apply if

Candidates should have demonstrated experience in advanced analysis of behaviour, sensory biology, neuroethology and/or neurophysiology. Candidates with a physics background will be considered, provided prior track record in biological or biophysical research can be shown. Experience in neuroimaging or microCT and/or finite element analysis and modelling will be of advantage.

The successful candidate will hold a PhD or have already submitted their PhD thesis. This position will be attractive to a highly motivated individual with a keen interest in science at the biology-physics interface.

For informal enquiries please contact Professor Daniel Robert ( D.Robert@bristol.ac.uk ).

We welcome applications from all members of our community and are particularly encouraging those from diverse groups, such as members of the LGBT+ and BAME communities, to join us.