Research Associate in Conservation Science

Research Associate in Conservation Science 

Location: Canterbury

Salary: £39,906 to £44,746 per annum

Grade: Grade 7

Post Type: Full Time

Contract Type: Fixed Term - Ends 31/07/2029

Reference: SNS-089-26

On the 1 August 2026, The University of Greenwich and the University of Kent will form a pioneering new multi-university group called London and South- East (LASE) University Group. Should you join us, you will be employed by LASE but will work as part of the University of Kent academic division, contributing to its distinct strengths, community and identity while also being part of a wider group that brings together the scale, resilience and shared ambition of both universities. Through LASE we aim to deliver outstanding education, impactful research, and meaningful regional and global impact.

The Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) in the School of Natural Sciences is looking to recruit a Research Associate in Conservation Science to join the E3 Sharing Space for Nature Programme, a five year programme funded by Research England and based at DICE. The E3 Sharing Space for Nature programme began in August 2024 and will end in July 2029.

The Research Associate will contribute to achieving the overall programme goals related to other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), with a focus on understanding how, where, and under what conditions do OECMs deliver ecological and social outcomes. 

DICE is a world-leading institute, ranked 1st in the UK for the quality of our outputs in the REF21 Geography and Environmental Studies unit of assessment, and awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2019 in recognition of our ‘pioneering education, capacity building and research in global nature conservation’.

As Research Associate you can expect to be involved in:

• Undertaking original, high-quality research and publishing in leading journals.
• Supporting the activities of the E3 initiative to achieve the overarching objectives.
• Co-supervising and mentoring postgraduate researchers. 

What will you bring to the role?

• A PhD in conservation science or a relevant subject, or equivalent.
• Specialist knowledge of, and research experience in, a field relevant to OECMs and area-based conservation.
• Experience of research publications relevant to area-based conservation.

What we can offer in return:

As a member of our team, you can expect a friendly, open and collaborative working environment and support in your development and wellbeing. You will enjoy a range of great staff benefits including:

• 43 days' leave per year (personal leave, bank holidays and additional days allocated for the Christmas period, pro rata for part-time staff)
• Excellent pension scheme with generous employer contributions
• Corporate employee-funded healthcare plan, in partnership with Benenden Health

For more information about what you can look forward to if you join us, visit our dedicated webpage: Working at Kent

We are ambitious for our people, our communities and the region we serve – join us in making the world a better place. Visit our website for more on who we are: http://www.kent.ac.uk/about

We particularly welcome applications from female and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented at this level in this area
 

Additional Information:

Occasionally we may need to close a vacancy before the published deadline due to a high number of applications being received, therefore we strongly advise you to submit your application as soon as possible. (All vacancies will be open for at least one week.)

PLEASE NOTE: We prioritise applications from current University of Kent redeployees. We will let you know if this post is to be filled by a redeployee as, in this instance, your application will unfortunately not be taken forward.

We know applicants may use AI tools to help prepare job applications. For guidance on how to use AI responsibly and effectively, see: Using AI in your job application.

The University of Kent values diversity and equality at all levels.

Closing Date: Sunday 09 August 2026  (unless otherwise stated)

Interview Date: Friday 21 August 2026