Current opportunities
Volcanology is a thriving research group within the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol. We are always looking for talented people to join us and to develop our work, from masters and PhD students to research associates and fellows. The School of Earth Sciences has a lively research culture, including local and international engagement and outreach, and active participation in undergraduate teaching.
Masters (MScR) projects
Within this cohort of MScR volcanologists, you will be actively involved in regular volcanology group activities and meetings including: reading group, discussion of current topics, seminars from guest speakers and internal members, local fieldtrips and workshops, and career development opportunities.
The following projects* with a specific interest in volcanology are available for development for the MSc by Research (MScR) in Earth Sciences. *Application deadline for Autumn 2026 entry is April 30th.
- Dr. Jessica Irving & Dr. Peter Rowley | What can MERMAID’s hydroacoustic data tell us about volcanic processes? (PDF, 131kB)
Students should discuss projects of interest with the main supervisor when preparing their application. We also welcome co-development of projects with prospective students with their own ideas. Projects may be available as full-time or part-time MScR; fees vary for those options.
More information about applying can be found on our prospective postgraduate students page.
If you already have employment, caring responsibilities or other commitments, we encourage you to explore the part-time option available for our MScR program and to discuss this with a potential supervisor.
PhD projects
A list of new PhD projects is made available in November for PhD studentships starting the following October. We are always keen to attract applications from students with degrees in Physical Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science etc.) as well as Earth Sciences. In addition, feel free to contact any Volcanology member of staff if you have your own ideas for a project that you think would be of interest to us.
There are several possible sources of PhD funding including:
- GW4+ Doctoral Training Partnership studentships. See the website for details of how and when to apply.
- Studentships tied to a specific project. These will be advertised below, if available
- Industrial funding such as CASE awards
- Funding by home government (for international students)
- Self funding
More information about PhD applications to the School of Earth Sciences.
General information about postgraduate study at the University of Bristol.
Post Doctoral Research Assistantships
Research grants to Volcanology group members of staff often include funding for a PDRA. These positions are tied to a specific project, and any currently available will be listed below.
Research fellowships
There are several sources of funding for people with PhDs to join us as research fellows. In this case you will be primarily responsible for putting together your application to a funding body, but our experience is that a high success rate can be achieved if you contact a Volcanology group member of staff well in advance and use input from us to polish your application. The main sources for funding are: