Associate Professor in Behavioural Ecology

Agriculture, Health and Environment

The Award-winning Natural Resources Institute (NRI) (www.nri.org) is an internationally renowned multi-disciplinary centre of the University of Greenwich that undertakes research, consultancy and training to support sustainable development and food security in the UK and globally. We are a forward-thinking community where world-changing ideas are inspired by great teaching, research, and innovation to address environmental, social and economic challenges for a sustainable future. We are an established global leader collaborating with partners across sectors and disciplines to co-create environmental resilience, sustainable agriculture, health and food security. NRI works towards a just world free from disease, hunger, poverty and violence. Substantial research funding to the institute comes from the Gates Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, UKRI, FCDO, and the EU.

We are looking to recruit a new permanent member of research staff for the Behavioural Ecology Research Group, at Associate Professor level. The Behavioural Ecology group is part of the research centre for Sustainable Agriculture for One Health, and part of the Agriculture, Health and Environment Department. We are looking to grow our expertise in behavioural ecology research in any area of pest management, pollination biology, vector biology related to agriculture, veterinary or medical sciences, behavioural interactions between humans and wildlife, tri-trophic interactions, reproductive, foraging, social, host-seeking behaviours or any other animal behaviour research fields ranging across species groups from arthropods to vertebrates.  

As their main focus, permanent full-time post holders are expected to develop their own independent research programme through winning research and enterprise funding from external sources. Although much of the group’s research happens in the field, both in the UK and overseas, laboratory facilities for carrying out behavioural research at NRI include 3D and 2D tracking facilities including large-scale arenas used for tracking flying insects under low light conditions, Ethovision motion analysis and video tracking software, Servosphere for walking arthropods, wind tunnels for flying insects, and a range of controlled temperature and humidity rooms that can be used for a range of arthropod bioassays and for maintaining insects and plants under quarantine. The institute also has well-equipped volatile and non-volatile chemistry labs, molecular biology labs, microbiology labs, agroecology and soils labs and technical glasshouse facilities. Research from current team members formed the basis of a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for the University of Greenwich in 2019 on Smart Pest Control. The group has long history of work on disease vectors (black fly, mosquito, tsetse fly, ticks, fleas, mites, rodents) as well as work on agricultural pests and pollinators.

 For further information please contact Prof Steven Belmain, s.r.belmain@gre.ac.uk or Dr Frances Hawkes, F.M.Hawkes@gre.ac.uk 

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To apply, please visit the University of Greenwich vacancies page and complete all details, including the supporting statements (please note attached CVs and personal statements will not be seen by the recruitment panel at the application stage). Current Vacancies - Jobs at Greenwich 

Employment Visa: Under the UK Government Points Based System scheme this role does meet the criteria to be sponsored for a Skilled Worker Route application. 

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