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KU Leuven

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PhD in Biostatistics: Biodiversity Monitoring with Citizen Science KU Leuven in Belgium

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Computer Science

Funding

A full-time doctoral scholarship for 1 year, renewable for 3 additional years after positive evaluation, aiming at a 4-year PhD. The position is funded by a research project, and the team expects the candidate to apply for a personal doctoral mandate (e.g. FWO aspirant mandate) with full support from the promoter team.

Deadline

Nov 30, 2026

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Country

Belgium

University

KU Leuven

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Keywords

Computer Science
Ecology
Environmental Science
Biostatistics
Biology
Mathematics
Salud Pública
Bayesian Statistics
Citizen Science
Gpu Computing
Statistics

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About this position

KU Leuven is advertising a PhD in biostatistics focused on biodiversity monitoring with citizen science at the Leuven Biostatistics Centre (L-BioStat), within the Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine. The project sits at the intersection of statistics, ecology, biodiversity, and computational modeling, with collaboration with Natuurpunt Studie and access to data from Waarnemingen.be.

The doctoral researcher will work on ecological statistics and develop/apply Bayesian models such as site occupancy models and joint species distribution models. Research questions include speeding up computation for thousands of species, estimating abundance from observations, producing reliable habitat-level maps, and optimizing observer placement for informative new observations. The work includes simulation studies, analysis of real biodiversity data, and translation of results into practical outputs such as dashboards and reports.

Required background includes a Master in (Bio-)Statistics, Data Science, Quantitative Biology, or equivalent; ecologists with strong quantitative training are also encouraged. Strong academic performance, good English, communication skills, and the ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment are emphasized. Programming in R is required, with Stan, Python, or Julia as a plus; interest in ecology and biodiversity is important. The position is funded by a research project, and the team expects the candidate to apply for a personal doctoral mandate such as an FWO aspirant mandate with full support.

The offer is a full-time doctoral scholarship for 1 year, extendable by 3 years after positive evaluation, leading to a 4-year doctorate. The work location is Leuven, Belgium. Desired start date: 1 February 2027. Application deadline: 30 November 2026 at 23:59 CET.

Supervisor: Prof. Thomas Neyens; co-supervisor: Dr. Maxime Fajgenblat. Contact: [email protected]. Apply through the KU Leuven online application portal.

Funding details

A full-time doctoral scholarship for 1 year, renewable for 3 additional years after positive evaluation, aiming at a 4-year PhD. The position is funded by a research project, and the team expects the candidate to apply for a personal doctoral mandate (e.g. FWO aspirant mandate) with full support from the promoter team.

What's required

Applicants should have a Master in (Bio-)Statistics, Data Science, or an equivalent degree, or Quantitative Biology; ecologists with a strong quantitative background are also encouraged to apply. Strong academic results are expected (master's degree with distinction or strong scientific publications). Good English proficiency, strong written and oral communication skills, ability to work in a multidisciplinary team, and interest in ecology and biodiversity are required. Programming in R (or Python/Julia) is needed, and experience with Bayesian statistics such as Stan is a plus. Candidates with or without work experience may apply.

How to apply

Apply online via the KU Leuven application system before 30/11/2026 23:59 CET. For questions about the vacancy, contact Prof. Thomas Neyens by email. For questions about the online procedure, use [email protected] or the FAQ page.

More information can be found here

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