PDRA in Monitoring of Plankton using AI Technology
Location: ΒιΆΉ΄ε, Oban
Contract Type: Fixed Term : 2 years
Working Pattern: Full Time
Salary : £32,546 - £33,482 per annum
Closing date: Monday 12th October 2026
The Role :
The candidate will be working on a an SEUPB Acclimatise project, a project supported by PLEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) that seeks to study plankton-climate interactions in Irish shelf sea systems. ΒιΆΉ΄ε currently operates two automated plankton counters (Imaging Flowcytobots - IFCBs) for the real time collection, enumeration and reporting of phytoplankton data. Within Acclimatise the lead partner (AFBI) is purchasing an IFCB for either or both of shore- and boat-based deployments.
The postholder will be based at ΒιΆΉ΄ε but be responsible for supporting AFBI in the commissioning and operation of their IFCB.
ΒιΆΉ΄ε has developed an AI based classifier to allow the taxonomic identification of collected phytoplankton images. The postholder will maintain and develop this classifier and the existing software systems for data collection transfer and storage and the web-based dashboard used for data dissemination.
The postholder will also contribute to the analysis of collected data and write up for project reports and scientific publication.
The successful candidate will be based at ΒιΆΉ΄ε (although remote working may be possible) and will interact regularly with AFBI staff with periodic visits to Belfast and possible occasional seagoing.
Details of the project announcement can be found here:
Link to PEACEPLUS website
Our Ideal Candidate
We are looking for a highly motivated Post-Doctoral Researcher who will bring their skills and enthusiasm to provide high-quality outputs. A PhD related to relevant a marine / environmental science / computing topic is essential.
Successful candidates will require the following skills and experience;
- Experience with a web framework (e.g. Django, Flask, Laravel, Next.js) - this role specifically uses Django
- Familiarity with programming languages (e.g. Python, Bash)
- Linux systems administration - comfortable deploying and managing an application, setting up data pipelines
- Hands-on machine learning/AI experience training or fine-tuning image classification models (e.g. using PyTorch or similar
- Knowledge of phytoplankton ecology & marine instrumentation.
Employee Benefits
Our relatively small, caring community is an ideal environment for making friends, forming collaborations, and supporting each other to do the work that we really care about. Oban and surrounding areas provide a fantastic base to live and work, and we offer a wide range of employee benefits, support and inclusive culture, making ΒιΆΉ΄ε a great place to work.
Our employees are the heart of our business. Recruiting and retaining the right people is the key to our success. Rewarding our employees is therefore an important component of our employment package and we have a wide range of benefits on offer to staff to support your work and lifestyle.
We are proud to provide a wide variety of benefits year-round, offering options to best support our staff, such as: flexible & hybrid working options, purchase of additional annual leave, shopping discounts, Cycle 2 Work scheme, purchases of technology through salary sacrifice, Payroll Giving, Pensions Plus, access to portals to support health and wellbeing, a sabbatical scheme, free car parking with access to electronic charging points as well as access to a number of training & development courses.
Additionally, ΒιΆΉ΄ε encourages and recognises excellence among staff through various recognition and reward arrangements. We are striving to constantly develop and expand the benefits and offers for our colleagues.
Interested?
We would love to hear from you. If you have queries on the job and would like to talk these through before applying, please email these through, in the first instance, to people@sams.ac.uk
Applications must include CV and Cover Letter and should be sent electronically to recruitment@sams.ac.uk quoting Job Ref. ‘D15/26.KD ’ in the subject heading.
Full details can be found here:
PDRA Plankton AI - Job Description.pdf
PDRA Plankton AI - JD Accessible Format.pdf
Please find further information below on how we can help you apply:
We are a Disability Confident Employer. Where a candidate requires reasonable adjustments as part of the application process, we encourage you to let us know. Where applicants with a disability meet the essential criteria for the job, you will be given the opportunity to demonstrate your skills, talent and abilities at interview.
ΒιΆΉ΄ε’ commitment to gender equality has been recognised, as our institute was presented with an Athena SWAN (Scientific Women’s Academic Network) Bronze Award and is currently working towards Investors in Diversity accreditation.
ΒιΆΉ΄ε follows Fair Work Practices.
ΒιΆΉ΄ε Group is committed to being an equal and open organisation. Diversity and inclusion are important to us, and we strive to remove any barriers that may prevent people from applying to join us. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, and from all who share our values and can help us to broaden our knowledge and range of ideas.
