UNSW Main Scholarship Round

PhD scholarship opportunities are available at The George Institute for Global Health in collaboration with UNSW Sydney for a major program on switching the world’s salt supply for cardiovascular prevention. This is a research-intensive PhD opening focused on reducing hypertension, stroke, and cardiovascular disease through the adoption of potassium-enriched salt (lower-sodium salt) across clinical, policy, food systems, and implementation settings.

The Centre of Research Excellence brings together Australian and international researchers, policymakers, and implementation partners. PhD candidates will join a multidisciplinary team spanning epidemiology, implementation science, clinical trials, health economics, food systems, nutrition, public health, policy, and global health. The post describes five possible project streams: clinical trials in priority populations, food fortification and enrichment, supply chain and market transformation, healthcare provider implementation, and implementation toolkit/monitoring/scale-up.

Project topics may include hypertension treatment and prevention, chronic kidney disease, primary care, behavioural outcomes, pre-eclampsia prevention, food reformulation, consumer acceptability, regulatory pathways, market shaping, procurement strategies, clinician behaviour change, guideline translation, national implementation toolkits, and country case studies. The work is designed to move beyond research into real-world implementation with governments, health systems, industry, and international partners.

Applicants with backgrounds in medicine, epidemiology, statistics, nutrition, public health, food science, food technology, economics, business, supply chain management, implementation science, health services research, pharmacy, nursing, or related fields are encouraged to apply depending on the project stream. Eligibility requires a relevant First or Second Class Honours degree or a Masters degree with a substantial research component, or equivalent research experience. Australian citizens or permanent residents are eligible.

Funding is scholarship-based. Successful candidates who secure a UNSW scholarship will receive a living allowance stipend of $39,991 per annum (2027 rate). If the UNSW scholarship is not awarded, eligible candidates may be considered for a The George Institute Scholarship at the same stipend amount. The post advises applicants to apply through the UNSW Main Scholarship Round and to submit a cover letter, CV, transcripts, proof of citizenship/permanent residency, and referee details.

The application deadline is 31 October 2026, with rolling review and possible early closure. The opportunity is based in Sydney, Australia, and the listed supervisors include researchers from UNSW and partner institutions.