Joining us

Open positions and how to apply

General information: Interested in joining us? Great! First please read on for more information about applying and answers to some common questions. Interested students and postdocs are then welcome to contact Helen Alexander with informal enquiries. Please attach your CV and explain why you are interested in joining the group. We welcome diverse scientific backgrounds - e.g. mathematics, physics, biology - in our interdisciplinary group.

University of Edinburgh students

Honours and Master's projects will normally be offered and allocated through your program's centralised organisation. The projects we offer will vary from year to year, but may include Honours projects across the Biological Sciences (with priority to Ecology, Zoology, and Evolutionary Biology programs), MSc in Computational and Applied Mathematics, MRes Infectious Diseases, and others. If you are particularly interested in joining our group for your project, you are welcome to contact Helen Alexander in advance to discuss a project proposal.

External students

We have limited capacity to offer projects to students from other universities. However, you are welcome to contact Helen Alexander to ask about possibilities for summer projects, Master's thesis rotations, etc. Please briefly explain what topic(s) you are interested in studying, outline your relevant skills, and attach your CV. Further practical information for short-term visiting research students is available from the School of Biological Sciences.


Current opportunities

Applications are now closed for PhD positions starting in autumn 2025.

General information

PhD projects will normally be advertised starting around October to November, with application deadlines ranging from late November to early February, to begin studies the following October. Some funding programmes may recruit on a later timescale. 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. We commonly recruit through the following programs:

If you are considering an external scholarship (e.g. from your home country), please get in touch as early as possible to discuss feasibility.

If you are interested in applying, you are strongly encouraged to get in touch as early as possible (email Helen) to discuss funding options and the application process. When contacting me, please summarise your academic background, attach your CV, and explain which project(s) interest you. You will have the best chances of a quick, positive response if you send a *specific* email showing that you have already done some background reading and explaining why you are interested in doing a PhD in our group.

Further information on postgraduate research in the School of Biological Sciences

PhD funding opportunities and how to apply
 


Open positions

We do not currently have any funded positions available.

Fellowship applications

We welcome candidates interested in applying for externally funded postdoctoral fellowships to be hosted in our group. If you want to develop your own project, broadly within the scope of our research interests, you are welcome to contact Helen Alexander to discuss the possibilities. 

Important notes: Many fellowships have only one application round per year, and the process from application to starting a position can take up to a year. Please check eligibility requirements when identifying potential fellowship(s). Institute-level support will generally be required for applications, so please get in touch early to discuss.

Potential funding sources include:


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