University of Sheffield
3 weeks ago
PhD in Chemical Regulation, Ecotoxicology and Socioeconomic Futures for a Non-Toxic Future University of Sheffield in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Chemistry
Funding
Full scholarship for 45 months covering tuition fees and providing an annual stipend at UKRI recommended levels (£21,805 for the 2026/2027 academic year, TBC in 2027/2028). Includes a three-month secondment with Unilever and training/development activities. Funding is limited under CDT/DFA rules, with some restrictions for international students.
Deadline
Nov 30, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
University
University of Sheffield
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About this position
PhD opportunity at the University of Sheffield in the ECOSOLUTIONS Doctoral Focal Award (NERC-funded), focused on chemical regulation, ecotoxicology, environmental chemistry, climate science, politics, and socioeconomic futures.
The project, “Beyond the horizon: Regulating for a non-toxic future”, is co-designed with non-academic partners and explores what future chemical regulation should look like in order to support sustainable chemical development and non-toxic urban and rural landscapes. The research will use modelling, stakeholder interviews, and scenario approaches such as Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) to identify future regulatory needs, barriers, trade-offs, and resilient policy approaches.
You will work with academic supervisors Dr Stuart Walker, Dr Steve Lofts, and Prof Jason Snape, alongside partner organisation Unilever and other stakeholders. The wider ECOSOLUTIONS programme brings together science, policy, and societal engagement across disciplines including ecology, data science, chemistry, geography, psychology, environmental engineering, policy, and law.
Funding is a full scholarship for 45 months, covering tuition fees and providing an annual stipend at UKRI recommended levels (£21,805 for 2026/2027, TBC for 2027/2028). The programme also includes training, workshops, international conferences, and a three-month secondment with Unilever.
Eligibility: applicants should have at least an upper second-class honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline. Essential skills include data analysis and/or modelling; social science methodologies are desirable, as are politics and/or management experience. The programme welcomes international applicants, but funding rules mean some scholarships are limited to Home fee status candidates.
Application information is available on the ECOSOLUTIONS website. Project-specific enquiries can be sent to [email protected].
Funding details
Full scholarship for 45 months covering tuition fees and providing an annual stipend at UKRI recommended levels (£21,805 for the 2026/2027 academic year, TBC in 2027/2028). Includes a three-month secondment with Unilever and training/development activities. Funding is limited under CDT/DFA rules, with some restrictions for international students.
What's required
Applicants need at least an upper second-class honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline. Essential skills include data analysis and/or modelling. Social science methodologies are desirable, as are politics and/or management backgrounds or experience. The project welcomes students from across the world, though funding rules mean some places are restricted to Home fee status applicants.
How to apply
Visit the ECOSOLUTIONS website for full application instructions and the project page. For project-specific enquiries, email Dr Stuart Walker at [email protected]. Register your interest through the FindAPhD page if prompted.
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Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.
Make your next move.
Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.