THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
Recruitment Role Profile Form
Job Title:
Research Associate/Fellow
School/Department:
School of Biosciences, Centre for Plant Integrative Biology
Salary:
£25,769 - £37,768 per annum (minimum £28,982 with relevant
PhD), depending on skills and experience. Salary progression beyond
this scale is subject to performance.
Job Family and Level: R&T Level 4 (4 CTG)
Contract Status:
Fixed-term contract until 31 March 2019.
Hours of Work:
Full-time
Location:
Sutton Bonington Campus
Reporting to:
Prof Jonathan Lynch and Dr Leah Band
Purpose of the Role: To carry out research on a BBSRC-funded project entitled “Rhizo-Rice:
a novel ideotype for deeper roots and improved drought tolerance”. Working closely with
experimental collaborators, the post holder will develop models to analyse whether specific
root traits increase rooting depth, water capture, and yield under drought stress in a range of
possible environmental conditions and rice varieties. The post holder will be based at the
Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, where they will work directly with Prof Jonathan Lynch
and Dr Leah Band. The research will be in close collaboration with the project partners, who
are leading rice researchers and breeders based in Thailand and the Philippines.
Main Responsibilities
1.
To undertake research to develop a model of the rice root system, and use the
model to analyse how synergies between key root traits could improve drought
tolerance. The project will build on a well-established root architecture
modelling framework, SimRoot, which has been previously used to analyse
root systems in other crop species.
% time
per year
85%
The project will require the post-holder to have/gain research expertise in the
following areas:
1. modelling biological processes involved in root systems development
and soil/water biophysics,
2. computer programming (using and developing the SimRoot 3D root
architectural modelling framework),
3. excellent communication and presentation skills,
4. an ability to work successfully as part of an interdisciplinary team.
2.
3.
Liaise with members of the project and other collaborators.
To prepare results for publication in leading journals, generating written
progress reports and presentations as required, and any other duties
appropriate to the grade and role of the post holder.
5%
10%
Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications & Experience
Qualifications/
Education
Skills/Training
Essential
Candidates must hold or be very near
completion of a PhD (or equivalent)
which contains a significant amount
of mathematical or computational
modelling.
Desirable
Expertise in biological modelling.
Expertise in computer programming.
Excellent
communication
and
presentation
skills,
able
to
communicate on all levels across
many areas.
Ability to work successfully as part of
an interdisciplinary team.
Experience
Knowledge
of
soil/water
biophysics and/or plant science.
Publication record commensurate
with level of experience.
Decision Making
i)
1.
2.
3.
4.
taken independently by the role holder
To have day to day responsibility for the conduct and satisfactory progress of the research.
To generate personal progress reports.
To keep current with the relevant literature.
Attendance at national conferences & training courses.
ii)
taken in collaboration with others
1. To communicate with the experimental collaborators on the project and attend regular
meetings with them.
2. To contribute ideas and be involved with the longer term planning of the project in
consultation with Prof Jonathan Lynch and Dr Leah Band.
3. To share their expertise with more junior members of the group, e.g, research students.
4. To contribute to group meetings.
5. To prepare research papers for publication in leading journals, in conjunction with Prof
Jonathan Lynch, Dr Leah Band and other members of staff.
iii)
referred to the appropriate line manager (please name) by the role holder
1. Overall management and direction of their research programme funded by the grant.
Please quote ref: SCI/070416.
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