Research Fellow In Gravel Coast Science

Department of Geography

Job Description

Research Fellow In Gravel Coast Science st nd

Department: Geography

Grade: 7 spine point 32-33, 0.2FTE

This is a part-time (0.2FTE), fixed-term post with funding available until 31 August 2027.

The appointment is available to start on the November 2026.

Location: UCL, Bloomsbury

Reports to

Professor Helene Burningham

Context

University College London (UCL) is one of the world's top universities. Based in the heart of London, it is a dynamic, outward-looking institution. At its establishment in 1826, UCL was radical and responsive to the needs of society, and this ethos – that excellence should go hand-in-hand with enriching society – continues today.

The UCL Department of Geography is a leading UK and global department, with a heritage of excellence in research, renowned for its innovative and interdisciplinary research to understanding complex global challenges. It brings together expertise in physical and human geography to explore critical issues such as climate change, sustainable development, and social justice. The department fosters an interdisciplinary approach, equipping students and researchers with the skills to critically engage with the complex interactions between people, places, and environments.

The Department of Geography is committed to the values of equality, diversity and inclusion and we have an active Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and networks for BME, LGBTQ, and disabled/neurodiverse staff and students. The Department recognises the importance of familyfriendly working and we try, as far as possible, to organise meetings and events with staff responsibilities as parents and carers in mind. In 2016, the Department was awarded an Athena

SWAN Bronze award and recently gained the Silver award (October 2022) in recognition of our advancement of gender equality: representation, progression and success. Above all the Department aims to be a supportive environment for both its staff and students. More information can be found here: https://www.geog.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/

Main purpose of the job

• We are seeking a short-term postdoctoral researcher to support on-going work on the NERC funded Gravel barrier resilience in a changing climate expanding and improving our knowledge and understanding of gravel barrier systems, particularly in the context of the UK where we have a wealth of these systems and where they play a vital role in natural flood and coastal erosion risk protection.
• UCL are leading the morphosedimentary evaluation of these systems, and this position focuses explicitly on the analysis and interpretation of sediments found within gravel beach systems. We are seeking applicants with experience and proven skillsets in coastal science, gravel sedimentology, data science, and machine learning applications to morphosedimentary data.

This is a part-time (0.2FTE), fixed-term post with funding available until 31 st appointment is available to start on the 2 nd November 2026.

(#gravelbeach) project. The project is

August 2027. The

Duties and responsibilities

• Undertake sediment sampling and analyses of gravel and mixed sand-gravel coastal systems within the UK, and support the development of digital approaches to the characterization of beach sediment texture
• Undertake field and lab testing of CobbleSnap gravel
• Undertake data-driven and machine learning analyses of morphosedimentary dynamics
• Contribute to the dissemination of project findings in appropriate academic and stakeholder settings, including academic, scientific, and public facing contexts
• Deliver outputs on time and to agreed specifications with project PI and other project members

This job description may be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the post holder. Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, and so the post-holder will carry out any other duties within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job as requested by the line manager.

The post-holder will also

• Follow and actively promote the UCL Ways of Working.
• Take responsibility to carry out duties in a way that embodies UCL's environmental and social sustainability values, actively supporting UCL's Sustainability Strategy, policies and objectives within the remit of their role.
• Actively follow and promote all UCL policies including Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies.
• Maintain awareness and observation of Fire and Health and Safety Regulations.

Further details of the department are at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/geography

Informal enquiries should be made to Prof Helene Burningham: h.burningham@ucl.ac.uk If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Department’s research administration team: geog.research@ucl.ac.uk

Person Specification

Note to job applicant: copy and paste the following criteria into your “Statement in support of your application” and describe underneath each criteria how you meet it, giving examples. You will be scored on how you meet each criteria.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications, experience and knowledge

A PhD in coastal science relating to gravelly shorelines Experience in collecting, processing, and analysing heterogeneous coastal sediments across multiple grain size classes Experience in collecting, processing, and analysing near-sensing data, including using e.g. RTK GPS, UAS, TLS Experience and expertise in coding data science and machine learning pipelines for the analysis and segmentation of near-sensing data Knowledge of UK national coastal mapping and monitoring data, including data available through Coastal Monitoring and Defra portals

Skills and abilities

Proven experience and expertise using computational tools (Python, Matlab) to analyse and visualize data Track record in presenting and communicating scientific results to the scientific and public communities Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills Track record in publishing in peer-reviewed journals Attention to detail, accuracy, and scientific rigour

UCL Ways of Working

Commitment to and knowledge of advancing equality, diversity and inclusion

A commitment to continuous professional development Desirable Criteria Experience in working with and engaging local coastal communities, particularly in the context of coastal dynamics and developing citizen science opportunities. / Practical Test)