Open positions

4 fully competition-funded PhD scholarships available  – apply by January 2025

We are currently looking for candidates for four competitively-funded PhD scholarships in the research group of Dr Nathalie Stroeymeyt in the School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, UK, to study ant nest architecture, collective behaviour and disease signalling.

The principle of competitively-funded scholarships is that there is a set number of scholarships available at the whole School (project 1) / Faculty (projects 2 and 4) / regional network (project 3). Candidates select the research project and host lab they are most interested in at the time of application, then the best candidates are selected for funding independently of their chosen host/project.

All four scholarships are fully-funded including tuition fees, an annual stipend set according to the UKRI recommendations, and research costs. Some of the scholarships are available for 3.5 years and some for 4 years and eligibility criteria vary (see detail below).

The projects

Project 1: Synergies between nest architecture and division of labour in ant colonies
School of Biological Science scholarship
4-year PhD, for UK and international students.
Application deadline: Monday, January 06, 2025
More information and how to apply: click here

Project 2: Architectural immunity in ants
Faculty Strategic Scholarship
4-year PhD, for UK and international students.
Application deadline: Monday, January 06, 2025
More information and how to apply: click here

Project 3: Responsive building by social insects: how do ants reshape their nest architecture in response to the environment?
NERC GW4+ DLTP Scholarship
3.5-year PhD, for UK students.
Application deadline: Monday, January 13, 2025
More information and how to apply: click here

Project 4: Disease signalling in insect societies
Ring-fenced Faculty Scholarship for Students of Black Heritage
4-year PhD, for UK-domiciled, home fee applicants of Black African, Black Caribbean or other Black or mixed Black heritage.
Application deadline: Monday, January 06, 2025
More information and how to apply: click here

Desired profile

We are looking for candidates with a background in animal behaviour and/or computational biology, and an eagerness to learn and apply a variety of approaches (behavioural tracking, writing own code to analyse data, lab work, 3D printing, agent-based modelling). Candidates should be creative and motivated, have good oral and written communication skills, and be at ease working both independently and as part of a team.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying, please get in contact with Dr Nathalie Stroeymeyt (nathalie.stroeymeyt@bristol.ac.uk) and consult the official add on FindAPhD (see link above). Formal applications should be submitted online following the instructions outlined on each add.