PhD Studentship: Soil Carbon and Soil Health Through Landscape Transition

Overview

This full-time, fixed-term PhD studentship investigates how nature-based solutions delivered through land-use change impact soil carbon and soil health at landscape scales. Based at the University of East Anglia within the School of Environmental Sciences in the United Kingdom, the research builds upon the UKRI OpenLAND project. The project is structured as a CASE studentship aligned with active Landscape Recovery projects, including the Wendling Beck Nature Recovery Project, and requires working on site.

Who can apply

Applicants should be motivated and enthusiastic individuals with a strong interest in soil science, ecology, environmental change, and microbiology. Ideal candidates bring experience in assessing environmental media such as soils, sediments, or water, as well as background in microbiome profiling and bioinformatics. Candidates should also be willing to work across disciplinary boundaries and engage with both fundamental science and applied environmental challenges. Successful candidates meeting UKRI eligibility criteria receive a fully funded studentship, and a limited number of opportunities are available for international applicants with the registering university waiving the fee difference between home and international rates. Funding does not cover relocation, living costs in the UK, visa fees, or the health surcharge.

What you get

The successful candidate receives a fully funded studentship subject to UKRI terms and conditions, which includes fee coverage, a maintenance stipend of £21,805 per annum for the 2026/27 period, and a research training and support grant. The role provides participation in a rolling program of ARIES cohort training alongside specialized research training in dry combustion, thermogravimetric analysis, molecular ecology techniques like eDNA extraction and sequencing, and habitat classification for Biodiversity Net Gain. Additionally, the position includes practical placements with partner organizations working in large-scale habitat creation and ecosystem restoration.

Requirements

The research methodology involves assessing soil carbon stocks, carbon stability, and soil microbiome responses during landscape transitions. Researchers will use dry combustion and thermogravimetric analysis to quantify carbon flows, quality, stocks, and entrained energy. They will also apply molecular ecology techniques to characterize soil microbial communities and evaluate habitat classification for Biodiversity Net Gain to understand connections between belowground and aboveground environments.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is 2026-12-16.