The current opportunity is available for current Manchester Met students, to apply you must be based in the UK for the duration of the role.
Coastal wetlands like mangroves are valuable to people, from fisheries, coastal protection to their role in climate change mitigation through the capture and storage of ‘blue carbon’. The Coastal Ecosystems Research Group in the Natural Sciences Department quantifies these ecosystem services, particularly focussing on biodiversity and carbon storage of created and restored habitats like saltmarshes and mangroves. This Research Assistant post will provide an opportunity to work as part of a Research Group that is leading high quality science and applying it to real world conservation problems.
This position could involve a wide range of duties to support our current research projects, from sample collection and laboratory work to analysis and report writing, and can be targetted to the skills the successful individual most wish/need to gain.
We are currently working with the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia to assess the condition and blue carbon stocks of mangroves across their estuaries, and this work would provide exciting opportunities for the assistant to engage with this organisation, and our other partners, such as WWT.
Specific duties will depend on the work we have at the time and the interests of the Research Assistant, and could include some of the collection of samples and data in the field (outside in coastal environments), processing and analysing samples in the laboratory, GIS mapping and analysis, data entry, statistical analysis and report writing. The Research Assistant will receive training in the relevant field, lab and analysis skills for this position.
Details
Dates: from week commencing 1 June 2026 - 17 July 2026
Hours per week: 10
Students will be expected to develop the following skills and experiences while carrying out this internship
- Knowledge in restoration of coastal habitats as nature-based solutions and natural climate solutions.
- Additional skills in fieldwork and/or laboratory analysis and/or GIS skills, and statistical analysis
- Communication skills, particularly in the form of report writing. These reports will be delivered to external agencies (as detailed in the job description), providing the opportunity to engage with organisations and develop networking skills.
- Time management skills - the work of the post will be varied and so time management and organisational skills will be important to prioritise and complete tasks.
We anticipate the research to be published and there is the potential to contribute to a scientific paper.
Please Note - As part of the 2026 Student Internship offering, priority will be given to Level 5 & 6 students who have specified in the Careers Registration survey (this is completed during enrolment and cannot be changed at this time) that they have had no work experience in the last 12 months and would like some on campus work or a short work placement. However, applications are welcomed from all students meeting the criteria below.
Students are only eligible to undertake one internship under the 2026 Student Internship offering.