PhD Opportunity: Evaluating Urban Cat Management and Wildlife Interactions in Australian Cities

We’re searching for a PhD student to join our team!

Project Overview

The Australian Pet Welfare Foundation (APWF), in collaboration with the Great Basin Bird Observatory (USA), Tyler Flockhart Solutions (Canada), RSPCA QLD, and AWLQ, invites expressions of interest from outstanding PhD candidates with a passion for urban ecology and wildlife conservation.

This project will investigate the ecological consequences and management outcomes of free-roaming domestic cats in urban and peri-urban landscapes. The candidate will be embedded in the Community Cat Program (CCP) — a large-scale, long-term desexing and education initiative operating in Ipswich, Queensland since 2020. The CCP provides an unparalleled opportunity to study ecological dynamics, wildlife responses, and population trends within a living, city-scale experiment in humane, evidence-based cat management.

PhD Scope and Potential Research Questions

This PhD will examine how urban ecological systems respond to proactive cat management and how biodiversity can be supported in cities through coexistence-focused strategies. Potential research areas include (but are not limited to):

• Urban Population Ecology: Is the Community Cat Program reducing free-roaming cat abundance and altering spatial population structure over time?
• Urban Biodiversity Dynamics: How does native wildlife richness, abundance, and activity vary with cat density and urban habitat composition?
• Movement Ecology: How do free-roaming domestic cats use urban green spaces, corridors, and residential zones, and what environmental or anthropogenic factors influence their activity patterns?
• Predator–Prey Interactions: What patterns of temporal and spatial overlap exist between cats and urban wildlife species detected by camera traps?

What we are looking for

Essential Criteria:

• Background in ecology, wildlife biology, conservation biology, or a closely related discipline.
• Strong interest in urban ecology and applied research informing evidence-based wildlife management
• Competence in statistical analysis
• Experience or willingness to work with camera trap datasets, GIS tools (ArcMap/QGIS), and spatial modelling
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Desirable:

• Experience in wildlife monitoring, population ecology, or spatial ecology
• Peer-reviewed publication(s)
• Familiarity with ecological modelling or R-based data analysis

Note: Applicants must be eligible for or competitive for a Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend Scholarship or equivalent at The University of Queensland.

Supervision and Support

Primary academic supervision will be provided by Emeritus Professor Jacquie Rand and Dr Kate Dutton-Regester at the University of Queensland, with co-supervision and field support from APWF and partner organisations. The project offers exceptional access to long-term datasets, field infrastructure, and collaboration with national and international experts in urban ecology, wildlife monitoring, and animal management.

How to Apply / Express Interest

To apply, please send your CV and a one-page statement of interest outlining your research background, relevant skills, and motivation for applying to:

Dr Kate Dutton-Regester Email: k.duttonregester@uq.edu.au

NOTE: If you do not email your CV directly to the above email your application will not be reviewed.

Expressions of interest are welcome on a rolling basis, with a view to enrolment in 2026.