University of Exeter Postdoctoral Research Associate / Fellow 2027 – Ocean Forecasting, Machine Learning and Marine Research - Global South Opportunities

The University of Exeter has announced a full-time Postdoctoral Research Associate / Fellow opportunity within its Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, offering an exciting opportunity for qua

The university is considering applications at two professional levels, each with distinct experience and research expectations.

1. Postdoctoral Research Associate – Grade E

Applicants should possess a relevant PhD or be nearing completion of their doctoral studies. Equivalent qualifications and professional experience may also be considered.

Relevant academic backgrounds include:

• Oceanography.
• Machine Learning.
• Statistics.
• Mathematics.
• Engineering.
• Other closely related disciplines.

Candidates should demonstrate appropriate knowledge of their research discipline and familiarity with relevant scientific methods and techniques.

The successful applicant should also be capable of communicating research progress and findings effectively through written reports, presentations and electronic communication.

Additional responsibilities include contributing to research proposals and applications for external funding.

2. Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Grade F

Applicants should possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualifications and professional experience in oceanography, machine learning, statistics, engineering or a related discipline.

Candidates seeking appointment at this level are expected to demonstrate a higher degree of research independence, specialist expertise and the ability to contribute to the development of research programmes and methodologies.

The university particularly seeks applicants with:

• Advanced expertise in uncertainty quantification and propagation.
• Demonstrated experience validating complex computational models against real-world observational data.
• A proven record of developing open-source codebases or reproducible scientific software.
• Strong collaborative research capabilities.
• Experience supervising other researchers and providing team leadership when required.
• The ability to develop research objectives, projects and proposals.
• Experience identifying research funding opportunities and contributing to funding applications.
• The ability to present research findings at conferences and professional events.

Applicants should carefully review the official job description and person specification to establish which appointment level best matches their qualifications and experience.

The university is recruiting at either Postdoctoral Research Associate or Postdoctoral Research Fellow level, depending on the successful applicant’s qualifications, knowledge, skills and professional experience.

The advertised annual salary ranges are:

• Postdoctoral Research Associate – Grade E: Starting salary of £35,302.
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Grade F: Starting salary of £44,352.

The final appointment level and salary will depend on the candidate’s research experience, specialist knowledge and ability to meet the requirements of the respective position.

The appointment is for a 12-month period, beginning in January 2027 and ending in December 2027.

The successful candidate will contribute to the scientific development, implementation and experimental validation of the ocean forecasting framework.

The main responsibilities will include:

• Designing and implementing uncertainty propagation techniques using Python.
• Integrating uncertainty quantification methods into a three-dimensional machine learning forecasting pipeline.
• Developing adaptive spatial sampling algorithms.
• Designing and implementing simulation code for scientific experiments.
• Conducting staged verification and validation of the forecasting framework.
• Evaluating the system using synthetic ocean datasets.
• Analysing MEOP-CTD datasets and measurements collected through autonomous vessel deployments.
• Interpreting computational model outputs and observational data.
• Assessing the performance and reliability of forecasting methods.
• Collaborating with researchers at the University of Exeter, the UK Met Office and Oshen.
• Preparing scientific publications and presenting research findings at academic and professional events.

The position offers an opportunity to contribute to interdisciplinary research combining artificial intelligence, environmental science, engineering and marine observation technologies.