Doctoral Candidate (Epidemics, Disease, State Formation in Africa)

Full Time: 35 hours per week

Fixed term: for 36 months, from September 2026

The Opportunity:

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 processes of state formation and how they have been shaped by epidemics and infectious diseases in Uganda. This will include undertaking empirical fieldwork in Uganda.

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 Makerere University (Uganda). 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.

A career with us has a range of other benefits that can be tailored to your lifestyle:

• 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.

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