Join Us
Find out about opportunities to join the group.
Edinburgh is a fantastic city to live and work in, the Univeristy is one of the world's best and, on top of that, we work with a great community of colleagues both in our Institute and across the wider Edinburgh ecosystem. Please see below for ways to join us and get in touch if you would like to know more.
Current vacancies
We will shortly be advertising two posts to start in spring 2022 on our NERC grant 'A direct test of the impact of infection on animal migration; consequences for parasite and host populations'. This is a great opportunity to be part of a collaborative project between the Universities of Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Trondheim, Minnesota and The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology working with our collaborators, Sarah Burthe, Jane Reid, Allison Shaw, Ana Payo-Payo and Francis Daunt. It will combine interests in ecology, migration, parasitology, immunology and modelling. Please get in touch (e.cunningham@ed.ac.uk) if you are interested in being notified when the jobs are advertised.
Masters opportunities
Very occassionally we will take on students who are interested in gaining a Masters by Research. Please get in touch directly with your CV and a short description of your research interests and how they relate to the work we are doing.
An MSc by Research is based on a research project tailored to your research interests. It lasts one year full time or two years part time.
The project can be a shorter alternative to an MPhil or PhD, or a precursor to either - including the option of an MSc project expanding into MPhil or doctorate work as it evolves.
Funding for Master's courses is generally provided by sources external to the university - confirmation of funding is required before a place to study can be awarded. You can find out more here.
https://www.saas.gov.uk/full-time/postgraduate-funding-information
PhD opportunities
We are now taking applications for PhD studentships to start from Autumn 2022 onwards. If you are interested please email with 'PhD enquiry in the subject heading (e.cunningham@ed.ac.uk).
The recruitment cycle generally starts in the autumn for commencing the following year but we are happy to start a conversation about joining us at any time of year, especially if you have your own ideas and are interested in co-creating a project rather than applying for one of our advertised projects. We generally advertise projects through the E4 DTP, Eastbio and The Darwin Trust and are happy to work with CASE partners to co-develop projects where our interests overlap.
Some of our students and post-docs have written some really helpful blogs about doing a PhD which you can find here.
General information
Specific PhD projects will normally be advertised around November, with application deadlines in late December/early January, to begin studies the following October. If you have your own research ideas, within the scope of our research interests, please get in touch as early as possible to discuss potential projects.
PhD scholarships (covering a stipend and tuition fees) are available on a competitive basis for both UK and international students. In most cases, funding is for 4 years. If you are considering an external scholarship (e.g. from your home country), please get in touch as early as possible to discuss feasibility.
You can find out more at :
Further information on postgraduate research in the School of Biological Sciences
Post-doctoral opportunities
Fellowship applications
If you would like to join us because you have similar research interests but would like to develop your own project, then you could consider applying for externally funded postdoctoral fellowships to be hosted in our group. We are happy to support applications where our interests align and you would like to develop your career. Please contact us with your CV and a short description of your area of interest to discuss how to take this forward. The process of putting together applications and getting help from our research support team can take some time so please allow plenty of time ahead of any deadline.
Potential funding sources include:
- Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellowships
- Marie Slodowska-Curie Fellowships
- Royal Society Newton International Fellowships
- You can also try searching the funding database at ECR Central or looking for fellowships offered by your home country
- For senior fellowships such as NERC, BBSRC and Royal Society Fellowships that may lead to a permanent position, there is a departmental internal review process prior to appliction so please allow sufficient time to go through this process. Please contact us for more guidance.