Two PhD Scholarships in Mathematical Phylogenetics

Two full-time PhD scholarships are available in the School of Computer Science at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. The successful applicants will work on combinatorial and algorithmic questions related to phylogenetic networks, which are used to analyse and represent the evolutionary histories of biological entities such as species, viruses, and populations. A particular focus of the two projects are phylogenetic networks with directed and undirected edges. The exact questions to be investigated will be discussed with the PhD students to suit their interests and skillsets. 

Requirements. 

A successful applicant has a Masters or Honours degree in mathematics or computer science, and a strong background in at  least one of graph theory, combinatorics, algorithms, and theoretical computer science. Some knowledge of phylogenetics would be helpful, but is not a strict requirement. Candidates must also be eligible for admission to the PhD program at the University of Auckland. For more information on postgraduate studies at the University of Auckland, see the following link: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/study-options/find-a-study-option/doctor-of-philosophy-phd.html. 

Scholarship. 

The PhD scholarships are funded by the New Zealand Marsden Fund and available from March 2026 onwards. A starting date is negotiable. Each scholarship is for three years, and covers tuition fees and an annual tax free allowance of NZ$35,000. The successful candidates will be supervised by Dr Simone Linz.

Application. 

To apply, please email your CV and academic transcript, a short statement of research interests, and names and contact details of two referees to Simone Linz (s.linz@auckland.ac.nz). Informal inquiries can be directed to the same email address. Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.

Dr Simone Linz
School of Computer Science
University of Auckland, New Zealand
s.linz@auckland.ac.nz
https://simonelinz.wordpress.com