Senior Research Associate in Whale Biomechanics and Evolution

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Senior Research Associate in Whale Biomechanics and Evolution, London

Client: University of Bristol

Location: London, United Kingdom

Job Category: Other

EU work permit required: Yes

Job Reference: 938b1df9bcff

Job Views: 3

Posted: 25.08.2025

Expiry Date: 09.10.2025

Job Description:

This is a full-time senior research associate position funded by a NERC Pushing the Frontiers grant awarded to Dr. Katrina Jones at University of Bristol and Prof. Erin Saupe at University of Oxford, in collaboration with Prof. Paul Valdes and Dr. Alex Farnsworth at University of Bristol. The project aims to examine the biomechanical and ecological underpinnings of whale locomotor behaviors and their evolution through the Cenozoic associated with long-term climatic change. The objectives are to: 1. Examine the relationship between body shape and locomotor mode using computational fluid dynamics; 2. Elucidate the link between ecology and migration using ecological niche modeling; 3. Reconstruct evolutionary patterns in body shape and ecology through the Cenozoic. The successful candidate will work closely with another PDRA in Oxford in the Saupe lab.

Responsibilities:

The senior research associate will act as the principal researcher responsible for objective one and collaborate on objective three. They will conduct research on morphological variation in whale body shape and its biomechanical implications using multivariate shape analysis, phylogenetic comparative methods, and computational fluid dynamics. The work involves primarily office-based computational research, with some museum collections work. The candidate will be expected to prepare and deliver presentations and manuscripts, and may gain teaching and mentoring experience by co-supervising master\’s projects and delivering undergraduate and M-level teaching.

Requirements:

Essential:

• Experience in analysis of morphological form and/or function.
• Excellent computational skills with ability to implement methods in various software and coding languages.
• Knowledge of evolutionary biology, palaeobiology, and evolutionary morphology.
• Research publication record appropriate for career stage.

Desirable:

• Experience with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in OpenFOAM or similar software, or willingness to learn.
• Experience applying CFD to biological models.
• Knowledge of cetacean evolution, anatomy, or ecology.
• Experience working with tomographic datasets of fossils and extant taxa.

Qualifications:

• PhD in a related field (e.g., Palaeontology, Comparative Anatomy, Functional Morphology, Biomechanics) or equivalent professional experience (can be submitted, awaiting viva).

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