Research Experience Placements (REPs) - Summer 2026 Now Open | E5 Doctoral Training Partnership

We are pleased to announce that the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has awarded the E5 DTP funding for up to four Research Experience Placements (REPs) at the University of Edinburgh to be undertaken over the summer 2026 period. These placements will include projects based at the University of Edinburgh and two of our partner institutions: UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), and the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh.

Successful applicants will gain valuable hands-on research experience, supervised by an academic and mentored by a current PhD student.

The REPs scheme aims to encourage students to consider a career in environmental sciences by providing funding for paid summer placements for undergraduate and Masters students. Applicants must be eligible for NERC-funded studentships (typically students who meet UK residency requirements).

We particularly welcome applications from groups that are underrepresented in Higher Education pathways. These may include (but is not limited to) students from ethnic minorities backgrounds, those with a disability, or those from low-income backgrounds.

You will employed by the University of Edinburgh and paid at Grade 3.1 (above the National Living Wage) for the duration of the placement.

Please note that funding is only sufficient to cover salary and research costs. There is no provision for relocation or accommodation expenses. Applicants who do not live within a commutable distance of the host institution should consider how they will cover travel and accommodation costs before applying.

Placement Details, Funding and Reporting:

Duration: 7- 8 weeks (including annual leave, which must be taken during the placement), during the summer vacation period (June/July/ August). Placements can be full or part time.
Salary: Paid at University of Edinburgh Grade 3.1 (pro-rata salary based on £24,729 per annuum), paid monthly in arrears
Location: In and around Edinburgh (see individual project details for more information). Students must be physically located in the UK for the duration of the placement.
Right to Work in the UK: REPs do not meet visa sponsorship requirements. Applications are therefore limited to UK citizens or those who already have the right to work in or study in the UK, with a visa that does not expire before the end of the placement.
Final Report: It is a requirement that all successful candidates complete a short report at the end of the placement.
Additional Costs: There is no additional funding available for relocation or accommodation. Students who do not reside within a commutable distance of Edinburgh should consider the potential cost of accommodation if relocation is required before applying.
Applicants may apply for one project only.

Applicant Eligibility

Applicants must:

Be undertaking their first undergraduate degree (including integrated Masters) at a UK Higher Education Institution.
- Note: Students in their final year are eligible if they have not yet graduated at the start of the placement. If you still have student status at the beginning of the placement, we will consider the eligibility criteria to be met, even if you graduate during the course of the placement.
Have not previously completed a NERC REP
Be eligible for subsequent NERC PhD funding. Details of eligibility for PhD studentships can be found here, and include:
- UK citizens who have lived in the UK for at least the past 3 years
- EU citizens with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
- Non-EU citizens with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
- International or EU students already studying in the UK on a Tier 4 or Student Route visa, valid at least until September 2026

How to Apply

Students wishing to apply for one of this year's placements should submit the following documents by email to: :e5dtp.info@ed.ac.uk by the closing date of 12 Noon on Friday 1st May 2026.

Email subject title: REPs 2026 - YOUR NAME - Project Number

Required documents:

E5 REPs scheme Application Form 2026 (please complete in full; form here or can be downloaded below)
Academic Reference from your Personal Tutor, Advisor, or another suitable person.
- References may be submitted separately by the referee to e5dtp.info@ed.ac.uk
Interim academic transcript (request this in good time)

Please complete the Equality and Diversity Monitoring form by following this link.

Optional:

Widening Participation statement (WP) - for applicants who wish to provide contextual information (form here or can be downloaded below)

Applications must be submitted in full, with all required documentation provided at the time of submission.

Widening Participation

The REPs scheme, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), aims to support greater diversity in the environmental sciences and address barriers to participation.

Applicants who identify as being from under-represented groups are encouraged to complete the optional Widening Participation (WP) form. This provides an opportunity to share contextual information about your experiences and the challenges you may have faced.

WP forms are reviewed by the REP panel only and are not shared with project supervisors.

In line with NRC guidance, the panel may use this information to support a more inclusive selection process, including prioritising applicants from under-represented backgrounds.

Selection Process

Eligibility Check: All applications are screened for eligibility and completeness.
Supervisor Shortlisting: Supervisors review eligible applications and nominate their top candidates. WP and EDI forms are not shared with supervisors.
Panel Review: The REP panel assesses all nominated candidates in a single pool, using the following criteria:
- Academic performance
- Fit to project
- Demonstrated interest in environmental science

The panel will also consider widening participation (WP) information, where provided, as part of its commitment to fair and inclusive selection.

The top three ranked candidates will be offered placements. A reserve list will be maintained.

Successful applicants and project supervisors will be notified by 1st June 2026. The earliest placements will commence on 15th June 2026.

Available Projects

You can view the full list of available projects below. Please read each description carefully, particularly the person specification. If you have questions about a specific project, feel free to contact the named supervisor.

Project Number	Project Title	Primary Supervisor	Link to Project
1	Spying on the social lives of wild wood mice	Amy Pederson amy.pedersen@ed.ac.uk	Project 1
2	Hydrogen in soils: measurements and modelling	David Stevenson David.S.Stevenson@ed.ac.uk	Project 2
3	Role of headwater ephemeral channels in postglacial landscape evolution and associated fluvial hazards in the Grampian Mountains’	Elizabeth Orr elizabeth.orr@ed.ac.uk	Project 3
4	Taxonomy and ecology of the genus Rinorea (Violaceae) in the Sangha Trinational	David Harris dharris@rbge.org.uk	Project 4
5	Towards a new glacier inventory for Antarctic Peripheral Glaciers	Beatriz Recinos Rivas Beatriz.Recinos@ed.ac.uk	Project 5
6	How does mating system and local environment affect phenotypes of Mountain Rock cress?	Matthew Hartfield m.hartfield@ed.ac.uk	Project 6
7	Tracking Ammonia More Accurately: Improving sampling methods	Pablo Espina Martin pabesp@ceh.ac.uk	Project 7
8	Can we have our trees and eat too: How to plant trees on agricultural land without reducing food production	Alfy Gathorne Hardy a.gathorne-hardy@ed.ac.uk	Project 8
9	Ecological effects of dynamic oxygen levels in the sea: An evidence synthesis	Amelia Penny Amelia.Penny@ed.ac.uk	Project 9
10	Ecological effects of dynamic oxygen levels in the sea: An evidence synthesis	Annika Perry annt@ceh.ac.uk	Project 10

REPs Application form for download

We have provided all the REPs forms in an editable PDF format. If for any reason you would prefer in a word doc version, please request this by email to: e5dtp.info@ed.ac.uk

E5 REPs Application Form 2026 (250.96 KB / PDF)

REPs Widening Participation form 2026 (276.88 KB / PDF)