Senior Research Technician - School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences G

Position Details

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Location:

University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £30,062 to £31,900, with potential progression once in post to £35,883

Grade: 5

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to August 2029

Closing date: 6th August 2026

UK Travel may be required for this role

The Senior Research Technician will be employed by the University of Birmingham to conduct field research activities for the NERC funded project Resolving Mechanisms Regulating Carbon Storage in Forest Soils. This project is led by the University of Lancaster, but all field work will be conducted at the University of Birmingham woodland research facility known as BIFoR FACE where this post is based.

Forest soils contain vast amounts of carbon, and planting new trees and managing existing forests is seen as a critical strategy to mitigate the effects of global climate change on our planet. The basic assumption is that more trees=more carbon, but this assumption is far too simplistic. For example, different types of tree have different impacts on the carbon content of soil, where most is stored.

Trees whose roots associate with a particular group of soil fungi – called ectomycorrhizal fungi – (e.g. oak, pines, beech) tend to be associated with soils that have lots of carbon compared to trees that associate with a different type – called arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (e.g. ash, yew, maple). The question is why? This challenge is especially important when considering on-going changes in plant carbon capture in response to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations, and the need to promote biodiversity.

For example, tree biomass production generally increases in response to elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, but how such responses translate to affect soil carbon pools in forests dominated by different mycorrhizal types is unknown.

The project will use a combination of in-situ and ex-situ stable and radio-isotope tracers, a network of woodlands with contrasting abundance of ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal host trees. Our findings will push the frontiers of understanding of forest soil carbon dynamics by providing robust mechanistic evidence, enabling local, regional, national and global tree planting and restoration efforts to achieve net zero.

The Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR) is an internationally leading institute in its field that is addressing two fundamental and interrelated challenges:
The impact of climate and environmental change on woodlands and the resilience of trees to invasive pests and diseases. The institute consists of laboratory and analytical facilities on the main University of Birmingham campus and a field facility based at Norbury Junction, Staffordshire. The woodland facility is a globally-unique long-term free air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) experiment in mature ancient oak woodland.

The senior research technician will be based at Norbury Junction, Staffordshire, with an expectation of travel to both the University of Birmingham and Lancaster University on a semi-regular basis.

The senior research technician will be responsible for preparation and implementation of the field experiments being carried out at BIFoR FACE. The Senior research technician will also co-ordinate, document and deliver expert scientific, technical and problem-solving services, associated with all aspects of the field experiments. The senior research technician will also work closely with the institute’s other technical staff to ensure the smooth operation of the BIFoR FACE facility and other ongoing experiments.

The appointee will be co-responsible for coordination and management of activities at BIFoR FACE, including organising access to the site by staff, students and visitors, conducting H&S training, and organising schedules for measurement/sampling campaigns, including aerial sampling using a bespoke tree canopy access system.

You will provide technical expertise, support and guidance in research support. You may supervise a number of technical staff but…