Research Fellow in Spatial Modelling

The UCL Institute of Archaeology is recognised as one of the leading academic departments of archaeology and heritage studies worldwide. As the largest department of its kind in the UK, it provides a uniquely stimulating environment for interdisciplinary research, with more than sixty academic staff engaged in high-quality research across five continents. The Institute is at the forefront of global archaeology, conservation, and heritage studies, supported by well-equipped laboratories for archaeological science.

Archaeological Science at UCL is a vibrant field of research and teaching, with an active community of academic staff, postdoctoral researchers, and PhD students working across organic and inorganic archaeomaterials. The Archaeomaterials Research Network and the Institute for Archaeo-Metallurgical Studies organise regular seminars, workshops, and international events, fostering collaboration across disciplines.

To find out more about the Institute of Archaeology, visit our webpage at UCL Institute of Archaeology .

Applications are invited for a full-time (36.5 hours per week) Research Fellow in Spatial Modelling to support the ERC-awarded and UKRI-underwritten project DREAM: Discovering the (R)Evolution of Eurasian Metallurgy: Social and Environmental Impact of the Bronze Age Steppes Metal-Driven Economy.

The project is based at UCL and operates through a network of international collaborations spanning the UK, Europe, the United States, and Central Asia. Running from October 2024 to September 2029, DREAM investigates how and why Bronze Age metallurgical production across the Eurasian Steppe scaled up to unprecedented levels between c. 3500 and 1000 BCE, and how these processes reshaped environments, economies, and long-distance connectivity.

The Research Fellow will manage the day-to-day delivery of research within the DREAM project to ensure objectives and outputs are completed on schedule. They will design, develop, and maintain integrated GIS databases and analytical workflows to support multi-scalar modelling of metallurgical landscapes and integrate archaeological, metallurgical, geological, and environmental datasets to enable interdisciplinary research and analysis.

The post is available from 1st November 2026 until 31st August 2028.

The post-holder will have a PhD in Archaeology, Archaeological Science, Geography or Spatial Data Science. They will have demonstrable experience in GIS and spatial analysis applied to archaeological or environmental datasets and in the development, management, and integration of large-scale, complex geospatial databases and data infrastructures. A thorough knowledge of quantitative methods, including spatial statistics and modelling approaches relevant to geospatial analysis is also essential.

Further details about the post and a person specification can be found in the Job Description (linked below).

Queries about the post may be addressed to Dr Miljana Radivojevic at [email protected] .

If you have any queries about the application process, please contact Louisa Goldsmith (HR Administrator) at [email protected] .

To apply for the vacancy, please click on the Apply Now button.

Candidates are asked to also upload the following documents:

A full CV (including academic and employment history, and any additional relevant skills and qualifications)

A Cover Letter that states how you meet each of the essential and desirable criteria as listed in the person specification within the job description

Evidence of PhD qualification

Please refer to the application process within the job description for guidance on completing your cover letter.

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce.

These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.

Our department holds an Athena SWAN Bronze award, in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality.

You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/