James Cook University
4 months ago
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PhD in Biosecurity and Oriental Fruit Fly Management at James Cook University James Cook University in Australia
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Environmental Science
Funding
PhD stipend of $40,000 tax-free per year for 3.5 years (about $1,500 per fortnight). The Training Centre also covers travel costs to Training Retreats, Centre Forums and related activities, and provides generous research project funding.
Deadline
Expired
Country
Australia
University
James Cook University
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Keywords
About this position
PhD opportunity in Biosecurity at James Cook University
This PhD project is based at James Cook University in Cairns, Queensland, Australia, with substantial fieldwork in Papua New Guinea. The project sits within the ARC Training Centre in Plant Biosecurity and focuses on Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) management in the Papua New Guinea Treaty Villages.
The research is highly applied and combines biosecurity, agriculture, entomology, food security, and field experimentation. The student will review existing fruit fly management methods and design an experiment to evaluate approaches such as bait spraying and Male Annihilation Technique (MAT) blocking in remote tropical village settings. The project may also extend into population modelling, social science, genetics, or plant host biology, depending on the student’s interests and the direction of the research.
The project is led by Professor Lori Lach at James Cook University, with a secondary JCU supervisor to be determined and collaboration from Matthew Calverley at the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The wider project involves government and international partners, including work with PNG and Australian biosecurity stakeholders.
Funding includes a $40,000 tax-free stipend per year for 3.5 years, plus travel support for training retreats, centre forums, and related activities. The project also offers hands-on placement opportunities with partner organisations and fieldwork in remote locations, including the Treaty Villages and Paho Island.
Eligibility highlights include experience in plant health, entomology, or a related field; the ability to design and conduct field experiments; statistical analysis of biological data; and strong written and oral communication skills. Applicants should also be comfortable working in hot, humid, remote environments and travelling by small boat and camping in the field. The post states that the team is seeking an Australian domestic student.
The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 15 July 2026. Interested candidates should use the project page to submit an EOI and follow the instructions provided there.
Funding details
PhD stipend of $40,000 tax-free per year for 3.5 years (about $1,500 per fortnight). The Training Centre also covers travel costs to Training Retreats, Centre Forums and related activities, and provides generous research project funding.
What's required
Australian domestic student; experience in plant health, entomology or a related field; ideally able to design and conduct field experiments, statistically analyse biological data, and communicate results in written and oral formats; able to travel and work in remote areas under hot, humid conditions, including camping and travel on small boats.
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Professors
Professor
Australia
Research Interests
Entomology
Conservation Biology
Field Biology
Invertebrate Biology
Invasion Biology
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