School for Science and Conservation

PhD Position in Carnivore Community Ecology

Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) invites applications from Indian nationals for a fully funded Ph.D. position focusing on carnivore community ecology, food-web dynamics, and inter-trophic interactions. 

Initiated in 2006, NCF’s doctoral programme uses a combination of innovative coursework, personal mentorship, and field research to provide a strong and interdisciplinary academic focus for each project. NCF is formally affiliated as a research centre with the Manipal Academy for Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, for this programme. 

Research Context

Over 95% of the Earth's natural ecoregions have been altered by human-associated factors such as land-use change, infrastructure development, biological invasions, etc. These factors have accelerated species extinctions, disrupted ecological communities, and weakened species interactions that support stable ecosystems.

Carnivores, owing to their ecological importance and public appeal, are often used as flagship species for landscape-level conservation. However, our understanding of how large-scale landscape changes influence the structure and function of carnivore communities, including in relation to human impacts on lower trophic levels, remains limited.

Project Aim

The selected candidate will investigate carnivore community dynamics across social-ecological landscapes, focusing on how species interactions are shaped by human-induced landscape changes. Specific goals include exploring facilitative interactions among carnivores, predator-prey food-web dynamics, and their resilience to landscape perturbations.

Key Approaches

This position will involve:

  • Intensive fieldwork in across key social-ecological landscapes

  • Designing experimental set-ups aimed at investigating carnivore community ecology

  • Use of advanced ecological modelling techniques, genetic tools, and GIS/RS methods

The candidate will be supervised by Dr. Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi and affiliated with the High Altitude Program at NCF.

Essential Qualifications

  • M.Sc. degree in Ecology, Wildlife Biology, Conservation Biology, or related disciplines with a minimum of 60 % marks in aggregate or equivalent

  • Valid CSIR-UGC NET (including JRF)/UGC-NET (including JRF)/GATE qualification

  • Strong quantitative skills with experience in programming (e.g. R) and GIS/Remote Sensing

  • Prior experience with scientific publications with at least one first-author publication in a peer-reviewed journal

  • Prior research experience focused on carnivores

  • Demonstrated experience in fundraising and stakeholder engagement

  • Evidence of research dissemination, including conference presentations or popular science writing

Financial support

NCF will offer fellowship support to those whose qualifying examination does not entitle them to a fellowship. The fellowship will be provided for a total of five years and follow the DST JRF/SRF scale. A modest research grant will be made available to the selected candidates upon registration at the University. 

How to Apply

  • Interested candidates must fill this online form. You will be required to upload the following documents:

Important dates and timeline:

Application deadline: 5th October, 2025

Interview: 15-20 Oct 2025

Joining date: 1 Nov 2025

In case of any queries, please write to phd@ncf-india.org with “PhD Admissions 2025” in the subject line.