Research Assistant, Part time 0.43FTE, Specified Purpose, Department of Biology, Maynooth University

We are seeking a part-time research assistant in the Department of Biology at Maynooth University. The research assistant will work with Dr John Devaney (Biology) and the wider Future Forests research team. Funded by Research Ireland, Future Forests is a collaborative project, led by Maynooth University with partners in University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, the Smithsonian Institution (USA), and Kyoto University in Japan. A key part of the Future Forests project is to construct field-based open-top plant growth chambers that can actively control temperature (via infra-red heating lamps and soil warming cables) and atmospheric CO2 (via the addition of CO2 gas). A bespoke microprocessor-based feedback control system will be used to maintain a fixed temperature (+2°C) and CO2 (+400ppm) differences between treatment and ambient chambers. The research assistant will assist in the design and build of a suite of sensors (e.g., temperature, CO2, humidity) and feedback control systems using open-source, low-cost, arduino based platforms. The research assistant will work closely with Post Doctoral and PhD researchers on the project and will also contribute to the day-to-day maintenance of the field experiment. The role is suited to candidates with good programming and design skills, and those with an interest in sustainable land management and climate adaptation.

Salary Scale:

Research Assistant Level 1 (2025):                                      €33,292 p.a pro rata (0.43FTE) (1 point 

Appointments will be made in accordance with public sector pay provisions