Expected latest start date: April 2010

The School wishes to appoint a full-time research student funded for 36 months as part of a collaborative research project with the Mersey Gateway Project and Halton Borough Council concerning the future use of an area of saltmarsh located in Widnes. The successful candidate will be required to register for a PhD degree at the University of Salford.

The Studentship provides fees for the candidate and a bursary (currently £13290 for the 2009/10 academic year).

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Critically review of extant management practices for saltmarshs: to include grazing by sheep, cattle and other livestock; mechanical methods and manual methods
• Conduct detailed ecological (flora and fauna) and environmental (assessing sedimentological characteristics, inorganic and organic pollutants) audits of the saltmarsh
• Identify best conservation options for this saltmarsh
• Plan and oversee and monitor a one-year pilot study - implementation of the preferred option identified in objective 3. It is currently foreseen that this may involve the use of cattle grazing.

You will have, or will expect to obtain a First Class or Upper Second Honours degree in Biological Sciences, Ecology, Geography, Environmental Sciences or similar subjects or have or expect to have a Lower Second Honours degree and have successfully completed a relevant Master's degree, together with a strong interest in our research project.

To apply please fill in an application form and a letter of application describing your research interest and expertise, and how these might contribute to the project. The online application form can be found at http://www.salford.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-research/ and all supporting documents can be attached. The closing date is February 26^th 2010.

If you require any further information about applying please contact our research admin team on
Els-research@salford.ac.uk or call 0161 295 3482. If you have any queries regarding the studentship please contact Professor Philip James on P.James@salford.ac.uk or 0161 29552133.