Research Fellow - AR3356

Applications are sought for a committed Post-doctoral Research Fellow to work with Dr Nicola Allison on a NERC-funded project entitled "The impact of amorphous calcium carbonate precursor phases on CaCO

palaeoproxies".

Primary Duties:

Identify the conditions under which amorphous calcium carbonates likely form in marine calcifiers.
Determine how formation, via an amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) precursor, influences the palaeoproxy chemistry of calcite and aragonite.
Conduct CaCO

precipitations to characterise the fluid environment required to form and convert ACC to aragonite and calcite in vitro under simulated organism calcification conditions.

Visualise ACC formation and transformation using transmission electron microscopy.
Analyse the trace element and isotope geochemistry of the mineral phases formed via an ACC precursor to refine palaeoproxy calibrations.
Work closely with collaborators at the University of St Andrews, and the University of Edinburgh.
Contribute to data analysis, publication of results, presentation at scientific conferences, and the supervision of student researchers where appropriate.

Eligibility:

The successful applicant will have (or be near to completion of) a PhD in earth, physical, chemical or biological sciences with expertise in mineral precipitation, trace element/isotope geochemistry or electron microscopy.

Duration & Start Date:

The post is available for 42 months starting 4 January 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter. It is fixed term until 30 June 2030.

Contact Information:

For further information and informal enquiries, please contact Dr Nicola Allison at na9@st-andrews.ac.uk

Benefits:

In addition to the salary on offer for this position, there are a wide range of benefits for staff working at the University of St Andrews:

Financial contribution to relocation (subject to eligibility)
Membership of the USS Pension Scheme with a generous employer contribution of 14.5%
A hybrid working environment, including partial homeworking where appropriate and a range of family friendly policies, supporting work-life balance
Staff discount scheme for local and national goods and services
Free staff parking, employee Carshare and Cycle to Work Schemes and subsidised local bus travel
Subsidised sports membership, reduced tuition fees on degree programmes for staff, access to training and development opportunities including LinkedIn Learning, access to library facilities, salary sacrifice scheme
34 Days Annual Leave plus 5 Public Holidays.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion:

At St Andrews, equality, diversity, and inclusion are central to who we are and form a core pillar of our University Strategy. We are committed to creating a fair, inclusive and supportive workplace, reflected in our participation in national diversity charters and awards, including Athena Swan, Carer Positive and the Race Equality Charter.

We particularly welcome applications from people from Black, Asian, minority ethnic and minority religions backgrounds and from LGBTQ+ and disabled people.

Key Dates:

Closing date: 13 November 2026
Interview date: w/c 7 December 2026

Job Details:

Job Ref: 475750 (Internal Ref: AR3356RS)
School/Unit: School of Earth & Environmental Science
Salary: 38,784 to 42,254 pa
Hours: Full Time
Contract Type: Fixed-Term/Contract