Urban Data Justice and Climate Extremes

About the Project

Join an interdisciplinary and collegial research environment and become part of an international research programme supported by a competitive EU fellowship, covering salary, mobility, and research costs.

The Project

You will work on the topic Data justice for urban climate impacts. Using urban climate change adaptation as an entry point, you will examine how climate information is produced and how the nature of climate information shapes policy responses. Focusing on two case studies (Lagos and Harare), you will develop a qualitative or mixed-methods enquiry analysing how climate impacts are represented, how these representations shape adaptation responses, and whose experiences and knowledges are included or excluded. Your research will reveal the implications of data-driven governance for climate justice and inform more equitable climate responses.

The MSCA Doctoral Network

You will join an international cohort of early-career researchers as part of the CLIMES Doctoral Network (https://www.climes.se/climesdn/), funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 101226348. This project is coordinated by the Department of Earth Sciences at Uppsala University, Sweden. The programme includes a rich set of training activities and research exchanges, designed to enhance career prospects in academia and beyond.

Your Duties

You will be based at the Global Development Institute, University of Manchester (UK). Your duties will include:

• Conducting independent research on data justice and climate impacts
• Undertaking fieldwork in Lagos and Harare
• Completing two international secondments:
  • ICLEI Africa: exploring data justice in the design of urban adaptation strategies
  • Uppsala University: contributing to the development of climate adaptation storylines
• Engaging in training and professional development activities offered by the Doctoral Network

Eligibility Criteria:

Eligibility for this position is in line with MSCA Doctoral Network regulations. Please note that MCSA awards are intended to foster mobility, and applicants thefore cannot have lived in the UK for more than 12 months out of the three years preceding recruitment. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account. Applicants must not hold a doctoral degree at the time of recruitment.

Academic Criteria:

• Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and
• Master's degree in a relevant subject - with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation (or overseas equivalent)

English language

All applicants must provide evidence of English language proficiency:

• IELTS test minimum score - 7.0 overall, 7.0 in writing, 6.0 in other sections.
• TOEFL (internet based) test minimum score - 100 overall, 25 in all sections.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) UKVI/SELT or PTE Academic minimum score - 76 overall, 76 in writing, 70 in other sections.
• To demonstrate that you have taken an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a majority English speaking nation within the last 5 years.
• Other tests may be considered.

The application deadline will be Midnight (GMT) on 10/05/26. Apply online for PhD Development Studies (Development Studies Pathway).

Under Section 6 Research Details select ‘Yes’ to Are you applying for an advertised project. Insert the project title as stated in the advert and the supervisors name.

Indicate in Section 9 Funding Sources your intention to apply for the CLIMES MCSA Studentship.

Ensure all required supporting documents are included at the time of submission, incomplete applications may not be considered. Your application must include:

• Bachelor's academic transcript and certificate.
• Master's academic transcript and certificate.
• If you have completed more than one Bachelor's or Master's degree, provide evidence for each. If your transcripts are in a language other than English, you must provide an official English translation. If your weighted average mark or GPA is not included on these documents, include an official document from your university verifying this information.
• An academic CV
• A supporting statement (max. 3 pages) outlining: (i)how you would approach the project including theoretical framing, relevance, and methodology; and (ii) why your background makes you a good fit to this role.
• Example of a piece of academic writing produced by you of up to 5,000 words (you may consider submitting two shorter pieces if this deals separately with conceptual and empirical analyses). This may be an academic essay or chapter(s) from a dissertation, in which case, an abstract or introduction outlining the context/aims/research questions of the study must also be included. In Section 12, upload the Writing Sample under Research Statement/Proposal and label it clearly as "Writing Sample."
• You must nominate two academic referees (including one from your most recent institution).
• A PhD Proposal is not required.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please contact Rose Pritchard (rose.pritchard@manchester.ac.uk).

Interviews are expected to take place on 28th May 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed online by representatives from the University of Manchester and another CLIMES participating institution.

Funding Notes

The position is funded according to MSCA Doctoral Network regulations, including a competitive salary, mobility allowance, and additional research and training support. Both international and home student tuition fees are covered as part of this award.