SUPP111906

We are looking for a highly motivated Research Technician in Environmental Chemistry to support us in developing up-to-date specialist knowledge for the newly established research group, TropEco Lab, led by Dr Filipe França. The role holder will be undertaking specialised sample preparation and ecotoxicology protocols for the extraction of environmental pollutants from tropical forests' soil and biota. This is an open-end position with funding fixed for 30 months.

The work pattern (number of hours per week) will change across three phases of the project: (1) First 6 months: 0.2 FTE (7.5 hours/week) to support in setting the laboratory protocols, (2) Second 6 months: 0.4 FTE (15 hours/week) to carry on initial testing of the laboratory protocols, and (3) Final 18 months: 0.6 FTE (22.5 hours/week) to apply laboratory protocols to soil and biota samples arriving from the field.

What will you be doing?

This position will involve a combination of wet chemistry protocols, including the development and optimisation of analytical methods for the determination of environmental pollutants using ICP-MS, GC-qqqMS and HPLC-HRqToFMS. The project is embedded within the PPBio-AmOr network of forest plots, with field sites in different regions of the Brazilian Amazon, as well as permanent forest plots in Ghana and Malaysia, and benefits from collaborative links with scientists and local stakeholders at each of tropical countries where soil and insects will be collected, as well as in the UK. You will be responsible for supporting the ecotoxicology component of the research, as well as for supporting and training others in the essential protocols for the extraction, processing and analysis of environmental pollutants from soil and biota samples.

You should apply if you have experience in environmental analytical chemistry and/or a related topic, as well as working in wet chemistry laboratory and with process improvement and problem-solving.