Research Associate​/Senior Research Associate

Lancaster Environment Centre

Research Associate / Senior Research Associate

Location: Bailrigg, Lancaster, UK

Salary: £39,906 to £46,049 per annum (Full‑Time, indefinite contract with end date)

Closing Date: Sunday 21 June 2026

We are seeking a Research Associate/Senior Research Associate for the Downscaling and Integration of Coarse Open Data for Enhanced Rapid Analytics EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) project. This full‑time post is funded for 15.5 weeks and will be offered at grade 6 or grade 7. The project is a collaboration between Lancaster University and JBA Consulting, focusing on water‑resource protection and Source Protection Zones (SPZs).

The role sits at the interface of academic research and applied innovation, translating research into evidence suitable for commercial and regulatory deployment.

• Collate and analyse Earth‑Observation data.
• Assess, design and implement down‑scaling algorithms.
• Scope algorithm integration into analytical workflows.
• Write up findings for presentations and publication.
• Disseminate findings to key stakeholders.
• Maintain information security, ethical and quality standards.

• PhD (completed or near completion) in statistics, applied mathematics, geospatial/ environmental data science or computer science.
• Demonstrable programming skills (Python, R) and experience handling spatial datasets.
• Experience with probabilistic modelling, geostatistics or machine learning.
• Ability to work independently while engaging effectively with academic and industry sectors.

• Competitive salary with annual reviews.
• Generous employer pension scheme.
• Generous leave entitlement.
• Family‑friendly approach for parental or caring responsibilities.
• Additional flexible benefits.

We warmly welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, religion, gender identity or expression, race, disability or sexual orientation, and are committed to promoting diversity, equality of opportunity and addressing inequality in higher education.