Postdoctoral Researcher, NERC LiVS in London

We are a world-class visitor attraction and leading science research centre. We use the Museum's unique collections and our unrivalled expertise to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today. We care for more than 80 million objects spanning billions of years and welcome more than five million visitors annually and 16 million visits to our website. Today the Museum is more relevant and influential than ever. By attracting people from a range of backgrounds to work for us, we can continue to look at the world with fresh eyes and find new ways of doing things. We employ 1100 staff in a variety of roles, all united by our vision of a future where people and planet thrive. We need everyone to have the passion and drive to help us with our mission to create advocates for our planet and inspire millions to care about the natural world. Diversity and inclusion matter to us.

Our vision is of a future where both people and the planet thrive. Diversity is one of our core values and we strive to build a workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging. All new staff who join us learn about the importance of diversity and inclusion to the Museum and how to contribute to creating an inclusive environment. We know we have more to do, but we are committed to ensuring that everyone who works at the Museum feels they can thrive and feel valued and respected.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the NERC-funded LiVS (Lithium Volcano Sedimentary) project, a collaborative research programme between the Natural History Museum, the University of Oxford, the University of Naples and industry partners. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting‑edge research addressing one of the key scientific challenges underpinning the transition to a low‑carbon future: understanding the formation of lithium resources that may support the green economy. The project focuses on an emerging class of lithium deposits and aims to improve our understanding of how lithium is transported, concentrated and preserved during magmatic, volcanic and hydrothermal processes.

Working within the Museum’s internationally recognised Earth Sciences research community, you will undertake a combination of field, laboratory and analytical research. You will collect and analyse geological samples, integrate petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical datasets, and contribute to the development of new insights into the processes controlling lithium enrichment in volcano‑sedimentary systems. You will collaborate closely with researchers across the LiVS consortium, publish high‑quality scientific outputs, present findings at international conferences and contribute to the wider research environment through student supervision and engagement activities. This role offers a unique opportunity to work across world‑class collections, analytical facilities and research partnerships while contributing to a project with significant scientific, environmental and societal relevance.

We are looking for an ambitious and collaborative researcher with expertise in Earth Sciences and a strong interest in applying analytical and field‑based approaches to complex geological questions. You will hold, or be close to completing, a PhD in Earth Sciences or a closely related discipline, with a strong background in mineralogy, geochemistry and petrology. You will have experience applying analytical techniques to geological materials and be confident interpreting complex datasets to address research questions. You will bring experience of conducting independent research, publishing scientific outputs and communicating findings effectively through written and oral presentations. Experience with fieldwork, particularly within volcanic environments, and proficiency in data analysis and visualisation using coding tools such as Python or R will be highly advantageous.

If you enjoy working in collaborative, interdisciplinary environments and are motivated by the opportunity to contribute to internationally significant research, you will thrive in this role. We are looking for someone who combines scientific rigour with curiosity, initiative and a commitment to delivering high‑quality research.

We are proud to work at the Museum and have identified the qualities we all need to embody to reach our shared ambition. This sits alongside the Museum’s values and forms the framework for the way we work.

What we offer:

• 27.5 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays (full time equivalent)
• Generous defined contribution Natural History Museum Pension Scheme (employer contribution 4 - 10%)
• Season ticket, bicycle and rental loan
• Life insurance
• Free admission to our exhibitions and many other paid exhibitions at museums, galleries and institutions across London and the UK.
• Staff discount at our Museum shops and cafes
• We offer a wide variety of training initiatives and opportunities to build skills. Investing in staff development is important to us, and we are ambitious about helping staff to grow and fulfil their potential.
• Affordable membership to the Civil Service Sports Council which offers a range of benefits including an extensive list of special offers and reduced entry fees at a selection of cinema chains, theme parks, theatres, retailers and supermarkets. It also provides entry to up to 300 English Heritage sites and other national treasures.
• Membership to our Sports and Social Association (for a small fee), which includes access to our in‑house gym and clubs such as football, softball, table tennis and tennis and classes in Middle Eastern dance, yoga and Tai Chi.

Due to the nature of this role the work pattern will be 100% on site.