Research Fellow Full-time

Research Fellow

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Cox Lab in the UCL Centre for Integrative Anatomy. The successful applicant will conduct research as part of the Leverhulme Trust-funded research project, “Adaptation and niche shifts in island giants”.

In this project, we are studying the morphology and function of a range of extinct island giant mammals from the Mediterranean over the last 12 million years. We will compare these insular giants with their modern mainland relatives using a variety of methods including statistical shape analysis and virtual biomechanical simulation.

As part of this project, you will be working closely with a dynamic team composed of the PI, another postdoc, and co-investigators from the Institute of Archaeology, University of Sheffield and Maastricht University.

The main purpose of this position is to study the biological phenomenon of insular gigantism, whereby small mammals on island evolve increased body size.

The objectives are to identify common patterns and trajectories of insular gigantism and address existing hypotheses for its evolution.

To accomplish this, you will collect a large CT image dataset of extant and fossil mammals and carry out morphometric and biomechanical analyses.

You will work closely with a second postdoctoral researcher to integrate your findings with dietary ecology inferred from stable isotopes analysis.

There will be a strong focus on career development through formal and informal training opportunities.

Salary: £48,679 per annum.

Interview Date(s) are scheduled for on or around 11 May 2026.

This is an open ended contract with a funding end date of 30 June 2029 in the first instance.

Research Fellows – Appointment at Grade 7 is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be at Grade 6B (salary £39,148 – £41,833 per annum) with payment at Grade 7 being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD Thesis.

This appointment is subject to UCL Terms and Conditions of Service for Research and Professional Services Staff. Please visit for more information.

Your role will be to assemble a broad CT image dataset of mammalian skulls, including fossil insular giant species from the Mediterranean and their extant mainland relatives. You will then analyse this dataset with morphometric, biomechanical and adaptive landscape techniques.

You will be required to work collaboratively with other members of the research team, and with external partners both nationally and internationally.

You will be expected to disseminate research results via conference presentations and publications. You are also expected to contribution to dissemination more broadly to non-academic audiences via public engagement activities.

You must have a PhD or equivalent in Biology, Palaeontology or another relevant subject area and proven knowledge of mammalian anatomy and evolution. Experience in working with morphological image data is essential. Experience in geometric morphometrics and/or finite element analysis is desirable.

The UCL Ways of Working supports colleagues to be successful and happy at UCL through sharing expectations around how we work – please to find out more.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Additional 5 days' annual leave purchase scheme
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan
• Relocation scheme for certain posts
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

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As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; and LGBTQI+ people.

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