Call for One PhD Scholarship position on marine coastal ecosystem restoration (seagrasses) using integrated approach under the Building Stronger Universities Project (BSU-IV) at The State University of Zanzibar
Re-advertised
Project Outline
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has granted full support to the fourth phase of the Building
Stronger Universities project (BSU-IV) at the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA). The project is a
partnership between SUZA and a consortium of Danish Universities led by University of Copenhagen
The aim of BSUIV is to strengthen SUZA’s capacity to co-create and conduct participatory
intervention studies that can identify effective and context-specific solutions to societal challenges of
Zanzibar within environmental public health (EPH), and marine ecosystems health and services
(MaCES). This PhD opportunity support includes participatory approaches to marine ecosystem
restoration (1 position). Successful candidates will be offered a full-time academic position at SUZA
following completion of the PhD.
PhD Research Position Description
In this call, we offer 1 PhD position on Marine coastal ecosystem restoration (seagrasses). The PhD
position will focus on a) assessing the need for restoration; b) identifying suitable areas for restoration
c) testing different restoration approaches and d) documenting and quantifying the success of
restoration efforts. The PhD student will combine field studies of water quality with drone and
underwater video-based mapping of habitats before and after restoration. Screening for suitable
restoration areas will include GIS modelling and test plantations. Different restoration techniques will be
investigated, and the project will include collaboration with local communities and stakeholders. The
outcomes of this PhD project will be a recommendation of optimal marine restoration efforts and an
assessment of their suitability for restoration of degraded marine coastal ecosystems around Zanzibar.
Eligibility criteria
Candidates must be citizens of Tanzania not exceeding 40 years of age at the time of application. Candidates are required to hold a relevant Master of Science degree within the field of aquatic
science, environmental science or related degrees with minimum GPA of 3.5. Candidates are expected to have essential skills in laboratory analysis. Candidates are expected to be able conduct field studies, laboratory analysis of field samples,
and have a solid experience in biological methods in the laboratory and chemical analytical
techniques in addition to experience with data analysis. Experience within marine ecosystems incl. seagrass restoration is a merit. Willingness to commit full-time effort to the PhD program is a requirement, including staying in
Zanzibar for the study period. Willingness to work in a multi-disciplinary and multicultural team is a requirement. Experience from an international research environment is considered an advantage. Candidates must have strong communication skills in English, both oral and written.Author or co-
authorship on publications related to the relevant research theme is considered an
advantage. Successful candidates will be offered a full-time position as academic staff at SUZA following
completion of the PhD. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.
PhD enrolment, duration, supervision, and evaluation
Successful candidates will be enrolled at an institution recognized by the Tanzania Commission for
Universities (TCU) within Tanzania or alternatively, the African region. The PhD program is scheduled
to commence during the academic year of 2024/25. The duration of the PhD scholarship is full-time
for three (3) to four (4) years, subject to the requirement of the enrolling university. The PhD
supervision will be a joint effort between faculty at the University of enrolment, SUZA, and Aarhus University (AU). Evaluation of the progress of the PhD activities will be done according to current
regulations at the University of enrolment.
PhD scholarships
Available funding for each scholarship covers the following: Monthly stipend aligned with local tariffs. Tuition fees, publication fees and dissertation costs. Conference participation (w. oral/poster presentation). Air tickets, visa and other travel costs related to the PhD project. Overseas travel allowance, as may be deemed appropriate.
Application procedure
Applications must include the following documents: Cover letter describing your research interests and motivation for applying for the PhD position
(max. 1 page) Concept note addressing the subject of the PhD call (max. 2 pages, excluding references) Recent CV including brief educational background, previous and/or current employer(s) and
position(s) held, as well as a list of peer reviewed publications – if any (max. 2 pages) Copies of academic transcripts and relevant certificates issued by accredited educational
institutions and authenticated by credible educational bodies. Letters of recommendation from two academic referees including phone numbers and e-mail
addresses
All application documents must be submitted electronically to project leads Dr. Idrissa
Hamad (idrissa.hamad@suza.ac.tz) and Dr. Zhanna Tairova zt@ecos.au.dk with cc. to SUZA
Vice Chancellor (vc@suza.ac.tz).
Application deadline
The closing date for this call is 02.09.2024. Applications received later than this date will not be
considered.
Selection interview
Please note that all shortlisted candidates will be required to attend a selection interview and to give a
10 min. presentation of their concept notes as part of this interview. If necessary, the interview may be
conducted online via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Skype. The date of the interview will be
communicated for successful candidates one week of the application deadline. The final selection of
the candidate will be determined by the interview committee and communicated to candidates directly
via email. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.