Doctoral Candidate (Frontiers of Vector Borne Disease: Expertise and Response in Africa and Europe)

The University of Edinburgh; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 41,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious University in the UK is offering an exciting opportunity for a Doctoral Candidate to conduct research on changing patterns of vector borne diseases in East Africa and Europe. This full-time position requires fieldwork and is fixed term for 36 months, starting September 2026. Applicants must hold a Bachelor's and Master's degree and meet the admission requirements for a PhD at the University. Comprehensive staff benefits are included, along with the potential for international sponsorship.

Benefits

Professional development

Good salary/pay rates

Comprehensive Staff Benefits

Qualifications

• Proven research skills relevant to vector borne disease studies.
• Fieldwork experience in diverse environments is preferred.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret complex data.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a PhD-research project on vector borne diseases in East Africa or Europe.
• Undertake empirical fieldwork overseas as part of the research.
• Submit a PhD thesis at the end of the project.

Skills

Research skills

Fieldwork experience

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's and Master's degree

Job description

The Opportunity

ARC Grade: £40,604 per annum

School of Social and Political Science / CAHSS

Full Time: 35 hours per week

Fixed term: for 36 months, from September 2026

Your next step starts here. Be part of something bigger.

In Edinburgh, you are in one of the world’s most attractive cities with active arts and social sectors, while working in a University that has made significant contributions to society, medicine, physics and teaching for over four centuries.

We provide a working environment where academics can develop their careers and passion for their chosen subject area. We have a genuine focus on our students performance and wellbeing.

As a Doctoral Candidate you will conduct a PhD-research project examining changing patterns of vector borne disease (VBD) in humans and livestock animals in a frontier region of East Africa and/or Europe where climate related ecological change has led to increased populations of disease-bearing insect vectors. This will include undertaking empirical fieldwork overseas.

You will be registered as a PhD student in the School of Social and Political Science, and will submit a PhD thesis at the end of the project. This is a double degree awarded by the University of Edinburgh (UK) and University of Nairobi (Kenya). Tuition fees will be waived.

You will be part of the Health and Environment in Africa and Europe (HEALENAE) Doctoral Network funded by the EU Research and Innovation Programme Horizon Europe, under a grant by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN). You must meet requirements for admission as a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh and EU mobility requirements set by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks (see full job description for details).

As part of the University, you are a part of our community. We are looking for people with drive, determination, and a passion for what they do. We are a place where everyone is welcome and offer a range of policies and benefits designed to support you.

Benefits

• Professional development and subject matter expertise
• Good salary/pay rates
• Excellent benefits and support

This post is full-time (35 hours per week), and will require regular attendance on-campus in Edinburgh. This post is fixed term from September 2026 for a period of 3 years.

How to apply

Applications must include the following documents in the required formats:

• Cover letter including a statement of motivation and research interests
• Curriculum Vitae
• Project description
• Copies of Bachelor and Masters degree certificates

See the full job description for detailed information on the required format of the supporting documentation.

Informal questions about this post can be directed to the Hiring Manager, Dr Gerhard Anders, Senior Lecturer, via email at [e-mail]. External applicants, please refer to the guidance in ‘How to Join Us’ to support your application process. Current employees, please apply as an internal applicant through the People & Money Current Jobs app using your staff email address.

What you can expect

• A competitive salary.
• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
• To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
• Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options.

Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion

The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter, and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.

Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages.

The University may be able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. This will depend on a number of factors specific to the successful applicant.

Key dates to note

The closing date for applications is 1 March 2026.

Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm UK time. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browser’s local time zone.

Interviews will typically be held 2-3 weeks after the closing date.