PhD Studentship Archaeobotany of Zambezi Valley

We invite applications for a 3-year funded PhD studentship starting in April 2027 under the co-supervision of Dr Alexander Weide and Professor Stephanie Wynne-Jones as part of the ZAMBEZI project. This PhD studentship is funded as part of an ERC Advanced Grant project. 

Zambezian Entanglements in the South-Central African Iron Age (ZAMBEZI) is a 5-year project based on fieldwork in Zambia and Zimbabwe. The project centres on renewed excavations at the site of Ingombe Ilede, Zambia, and exploration of the broader region, including further sites in Zambia and northern Zimbabwe. As such, ZAMBEZI will be generating new data for some key sites through which the archaeology of this region is known and offers the opportunity to rethink second-millennium lifeways and connections in this place. The project is a collaboration with the National Museum of Zambia. 

We are looking for a highly motivated applicant to join the project. The selected applicant will be jointly co-supervised by the PI of the project, Professor Stephanie Wynne-Jones, and Dr Alexander Weide, with additional input from other members of the Department and McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, and external researchers depending on training needs. 

The successful applicant's research will focus on plant use, agricultural practice and landscape change, using data from flotation of material from excavations at Ingombe Ilede and neighbouring sites.

Applicants must meet the requirement for a PhD in Archaeology (see details here: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/aaarpdarc) and be familiar with the archaeology of south-central Africa. 

The successful applicant will become part of the ZAMBEZI project and be based at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, which also hosts a large community of researchers working on a wide range of global archaeology and heritage. 

The studentship will provide a stipend covering maintenance and fee costs. See: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance where a successful applicant is not a citizen of the UK, immigration health surcharge and visa fees will be covered. Additionally, fieldwork costs and selected conference attendance, as well as maintenance payments for the duration of parental leave are all covered.

How to make an application

Applications should be submitted for the PhD in Archaeology via the Applicant Portal (via the above 'Apply' button). Dr Alexander Weide and Professor Stephanie Wynne-Jones should be identified as your preferred supervisors and you must state that you are applying for the ZAMBEZI project in the "proposed title" section. In addition to the standard required application materials please upload a cover letter (no more than two pages) outlining your suitability for this project and what you will bring to the team. This replaces the requirement in the system for a full research proposal. 

You may be eligible for additional financial support. International students are strongly encouraged to apply for this support to bridge the gap between home and international fees. To ensure you are considered, you must tick the apply for funding box and select everything for which you may be eligible. We encourage applications from women and scholars from global majority backgrounds. 

Additional information about the Department of Archaeology can be found here: https://www.arch.cam.ac.uk/

Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed online during the week beginning. 

For further information and informal enquiries, please contact Professor Stephanie Wynne-Jones (saw33@cam.ac.uk)

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.