"TERRA. 375 Million Years of the Diversification of Life on Land: Shifting the Paradigm?"
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham
A research assistant position in vertebrate palaeontology is now available based within the research group of Dr Richard Butler, within the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences. The role would suit a recent graduate with a background in palaeontology or geology, who wishes to build experience and skills in palaeontological research.
The successful applicant will be employed for one year to work as part of a European Research Council-funded team focused on testing the spatial and temporal patterns and abiotic and biotic drivers of the diversification of terrestrial tetrapods over the Phanerozoic. The research assistant will be primarily focused on developing spatially and temporally comprehensive datasets of fossil vertebrate taxonomy and occurrences. They will need to conduct comprehensive literature searches to recover and extract from the scientific literature information on fossil vertebrate distribution, which they will then incorporate into the online Paleobiology Database. Some travel outside of Birmingham (e.g. to London) may be necessary to acquire key scientific literature. Opportunities may be available to attend relevant training courses and conferences, and to collaborate on research publications with other members of the research team.
The researcher will join a very active community of palaeobiologists and palaeoclimatologists, associated with a significant geological museum and collection (the Lapworth Museum of Geology), and will be part of the broader Geosystems research group of the School.