PhD Studentship in Marine Sciences: Plankton Biodiversity and Ecosystem Change Using Machine Learning (CASE Studentship, SERVO) University of Plymouth in United Kingdom

[Full Home or International tuition fees plus a stipend at the 2026/27 UKRI rate (to be confirmed; compare the 2025/26 UKRI rate of £20,780 per annum) for 3.5 years. The last 6 months of the four-year registration period is a self-funded ‘writing-up’ period.]

The University of Plymouth invites applications for a 3.5-year PhD studentship in Marine Sciences, focusing on understanding plankton biodiversity and ecosystem change through the application of machine learning. This CASE studentship (SERVO) is based at the Marine Institute, a leading center for marine research in the UK, and offers the opportunity to join a vibrant community of marine PhD students.

Plankton are vital to marine food webs and global carbon cycles, serving as sensitive indicators of environmental change and enabling predictions of climate impacts on ocean biodiversity. Despite advances in imaging technologies, current plankton monitoring is insufficient for detecting biodiversity shifts and informing conservation policy. This project addresses this gap by leveraging recent advancements in plankton imaging data classifiers, applying existing biodiversity policy indicators to new image data, and expanding datasets to improve biodiversity assessments under the UK Marine Strategy and OSPAR frameworks.

The successful candidate will collect plankton images using an innovative benchtop flow-through imaging sensor and integrate these with existing datasets. Fieldwork opportunities include collaboration with Cefas and a visit to the University of British Columbia for instrument field testing. A novel machine learning image classifier will be used to identify plankton taxa and quantify ecological traits such as size and biovolume, which are critical for biodiversity analyses and policy evaluation but often missing from traditional data. The combined data will be used to characterize spatio-temporal ecological change in the Northeast Atlantic.

Through this studentship, you will develop skills in machine learning, plankton taxonomy, ecological trait analysis, and biodiversity indicator development, and contribute to the UK and OSPAR Pelagic Habitats Expert Groups. Professional development is supported by the Plankton and Policy Research Unit and Marine Research Plymouth’s early career network.

Eligibility: Applicants should hold a first or upper second class honours degree or a Masters qualification in ecology, marine biology, data science, environmental sciences, or related fields. Interdisciplinary backgrounds and strong quantitative skills are particularly encouraged. The studentship covers full Home or International tuition fees and a stipend at the UKRI rate (£20,780 per annum for 2025/26; 2026/27 rate to be confirmed) for 3.5 years. The final 6 months of the four-year registration period is a self-funded writing-up period.

Application Process: Applications must be submitted by 12 noon on Monday, 2 February 2026. For further information and to apply, visit the University of Plymouth studentship webpage. Informal project discussions can be arranged with Professor Abigail McQuatters-Gollop.