Publisher
source

University of Sheffield

NERC ECOSOLUTIONS Doctoral Focal Award

PhD in Ecology of Toxicological Non-Target Effects at University of Sheffield University of Sheffield in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Ecology

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).

Deadline

Nov 30, 2026

Country flag

Country

United Kingdom

University

University of Sheffield

Social connections

How do I apply for this?

Sign in for free to reveal details, requirements, and source links.

Meet Kite AI

Apply for this position

Keywords

Ecology
Environmental Science
Biology
Mathematics
Mathematical Modeling
Biodiversity
Earth Science
Ecotoxicology
Statistics

Suggested scholarships

About this position

Project 18 at the University of Sheffield is a fully funded PhD in ecology, ecotoxicology, environmental biology, and mathematical modelling. The project, titled The ecology of toxicological non-target effects, is supervised by Prof Andrew Beckerman with Prof David Spurgeon and Dr N Galic as named project supervisors.

The research asks how species interactions mediate the impacts of chemical stress on biodiversity, especially in terrestrial ecosystems. It uses advanced computational modelling of ecological networks and data-driven statistical modelling of ecological and ecotoxicological data to address non-target effects of chemicals on biodiversity and ecosystem function.

This PhD is part of the NERC-funded ECOSOLUTIONS Doctoral Focal Award, a transdisciplinary programme focused on sustainable chemical design, policy, and non-toxic environments. Students will benefit from a structured training programme, including induction and primer courses, transferable skills workshops, systems-solutions workshops, a three-month secondment with Syngenta, and opportunities to attend international conferences.

Eligibility highlights include an upper second-class honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline, plus experience with R, Julia, or Matlab and a strong understanding of ecological theory. The programme welcomes applicants worldwide, though funding rules mean some scholarships are limited to Home fee-status candidates and Sheffield has only very limited places for international students.

The funding covers tuition fees and provides a stipend for 45 months at UKRI recommended levels. The application deadline shown on the page is 30 November 2026. For application instructions, visit the ECOSOLUTIONS website; project 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).

What's required

Applicants need at least an upper second-class honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline. Essential skills include experience with R, Julia, or Matlab for statistical modelling and mathematical programming, plus a strong understanding of ecological theory. The programme welcomes students from around the world, but funding rules mean some places are restricted to Home fee-status applicants, with very limited places for international students on Sheffield projects.

How to apply

Visit the ECOSOLUTIONS website for full application instructions and project details. Use the project-specific enquiry email if you have questions about the project. Register your interest through the FindAPhD page if needed.

More information can be found here

Ask ApplyKite AI

Start chatting
Can you summarize this position?
What qualifications are required for this position?
How should I prepare my application?