PhD Opportunity at University College Dublin - "Flood Risk Perception and Climate Adaptation"

PhD Opportunity at University College Dublin - "Flood Risk Perception and Climate Adaptation"

Prof Eoin O'Neill and Dr Finbarr Brereton at University College Dublin (Ireland) are looking for a PhD candidate with an interest in Flood Risk Perception and Climate Adaptation and a background in economics, behavioural economics, environmental economics, or environmental psychology. Closing Date for Applications: 17.00 GMT, March 11th, 2026.

Call for Expressions of Interest in Funded PhD: Flood Risk Perception and Climate Adaptation

UCD Environmental Policy is seeking expressions of interest from prospective PhD students to fill one fully funded PhD studentship in the Environmental Policy subject area. A PhD will be funded on the topic of Flood Risk Perception and Climate Adaptation.

About UCD Environmental Policy

Established over 30 years ago, UCD Environmental Policy has an international reputation as a centre of excellence for research and teaching in a multidisciplinary School ranked in the QS top 150. UCD Environmental Policy comprises a research-intensive faculty group that have been central to national and international debates and policy action. Our Faculty have held senior government advisory roles and our graduates are distinguished policy advisers in the public and private sectors across the globe. The goal of the Environmental Policy Group is to contribute to a fair and sustainable world through environmental policy design, using evidence from research and engagement, in partnership with other academic groups, non academic institutions, policymakers, and business. The Environmental Policy Group supports a positive research culture for its faculty and researchers through a collaborative and creative research environment.

We invite motivated researchers to apply for this fully funded position as part of our School's structured PhD programme on the following topic:

Flood Risk Perception and Climate Adaptation

The PhD candidate will work under the supervision of Prof Eoin O'Neill and Dr Finbarr Brereton, both Environmental Policy faculty. They will build on previous research on flood risk perception conducted by Prof O'Neill and Dr Brereton and investigate attitudes to flood risk management, particularly the shift away from built engineering solutions alone, towards more multifaceted approaches, including flood risk perception, awareness and preparedness, and their spatial manifestations. The project will involve designing and administering social surveys on risk perception, attitudes to climate change and behavioural responses to natural hazards, in a case study location. Comparative spatial analysis will be carried out on both new and existing datasets.

Eligibility Criteria

• A Master's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (e.g. economics, psychology, urban planning, or any cognate social science field);
• Expertise in geospatial analysis (e.g. GIS) and spatial data analysis;
• Demonstrable motivation to conduct policy relevant research;
• Relevant research and/or other research related experience;
• A desire to develop an international research profile;
• Strong organisational, writing, presentation and other communication skills;
• The ability to work independently, as well as in a team, work under pressure, respect deadlines, and produce quality work;
• Excellent interpersonal skills.

Benefits

• A tax free stipend of approx. €25k per annum for four years subject to performance;
• Funding support for research costs and travel to conferences and workshops;
• Waived tuition fees for EU or Non EU students;
• UCD career building and networking opportunities.

Note: The PhD scholarship shall begin no later than September 2026. Scholars will be based at the UCD Campus. UCD reserves the right not to fill any position. The University may also decide to change the topic area(s) of the research.

Application Procedure

The candidate will be selected on the basis of the quality of the application, expertise, work experience, and qualifications. An expression of interest should be lodged containing the following documents (in English) in a single PDF and sent by email to .

• A cover letter explaining how the candidate's profile matches the above criteria (max 2 pages);
• An outline of an initial research proposal for PhD research related to flood risk perception and climate adaptation (max 2 pages);
• A current CV;
• A scan of transcripts/diplomas;
• Evidence of English language competency (see UCD's list of accepted certificates or equivalent proof);
• Details of two referees (name, affiliation, position and contact details including email).

Closing Date for Applications: 17.00 GMT, March 11th, 2026

Travel opportunities may exist to Chang'an University in Xi'an, China, and successful candidates may be expected to travel with their supervisor or other Environmental Policy faculty, if requested. The cost of this travel expense would be covered by the School.