DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY Graduate Research Assistant Evolutionary Social Ecology Grade 6 Starting salary £25,623 p.a.
A Graduate Research Assistant position is available, for 4 years and 3 months, from 1 April 2010, to work on a project studying social networks in birds from an ecological and evolutionary perspective. The post is funded as part of an ERC Advanced Investigator grant of 2.5M over five years to Prof Ben Sheldon. The post will be based in the Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford. The main duties of the post-holder will be to carry out fieldwork around Oxford to collect data on social behaviour and social relationships in wild birds, and to participate in experiments testing a range of hypotheses about the causes and consequences of social behaviour. This is an exceptional opportunity to participate in a major research project, for which extensive pilot data are already available, and for which funding is guaranteed at a very high level for the duration of the project. The successful candidate will have a BSc in biology or a related subject, and demonstrate skill and enthusiasm for biological research. Experience of fieldwork under arduous conditions, and of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team are desirable, as are fieldwork skills involving birds. There will be an opportunity to register to study for a DPhil (Oxfords version of a doctorate) after the first year, subject to mutual agreement. The post is based in a dynamic and expanding research-active institute, of c. 40 people, fully integrated within the Department of Zoology. Further details about the institute available at: http://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/egi/ Informal inquiries (with CV) to Prof Ben Sheldon (ben.shel...@zoo.ox.ac.uk) Further particulars and application forms can be downloaded from http://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/jobs or are available from the Personnel Office, Department of Zoology, Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS (tel: 01865 271190); email: recr...@zoo.ox.ac.uk . Applications, together with CV and contact details of three referees and a cover letter explaining how the candidate meets the selection criteria, as outlined in the further particulars, should be sent to the above address quoting reference number AT09042. The closing date for applications is 5 February 2010. Interviews will take place in late February.
