PhD Scholarship: Understanding and Addressing Anti-Government and Sovereign Citizen Extremism in Australia (Extremism Research)

Location: Based at the Brisbane South (Nathan) or Gold Coast campus in Australia, with possible work across other hirify.global campuses. Applicants must be Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, or New Zealand special category Visa holders.

Scholarship: AUD 55,656 per year for three years, comprising a AUD 35,656 indexed stipend and a AUD 20,000 project top-up. An additional AUD 4,500 is available for research support, professional development, or conferences.

Company

hirify.global is a multi-campus Australian university hosting the PhD project within the School of Criminology & Criminal Justice.

What you will do

• Conduct PhD research on anti-government and sovereign citizen extremism in Australia.
• Investigate the drivers of these forms of extremism and their relationship to risks of violence against public officials.
• Use a combination of survey, observation, interview, and social media data where appropriate.
• Evaluate interventions designed to mitigate extremist violence risks.
• Collaborate with the supervisory team and industry partners connected to the national intelligence-funded project.
• Communicate research findings through written work and presentations.

Requirements

• Eligibility: Australian citizenship, Australian permanent residency, or New Zealand special category Visa holder status is required.
• A Bachelor’s degree with first-class honours equivalent, a research-based AQF Level 9 Master’s degree, or an equivalent qualification.
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated experience with relevant research methods.
• Ability to work independently within a research team and communicate findings clearly in writing and presentations.
• Critical engagement with literature on procedural justice, radicalisation, and extremism.
• Ability to study at the Brisbane South (Nathan) or Gold Coast campus and potentially work across other campuses.

Nice to have

• Background in psychology, criminology, political science, or a cognate discipline.
• Experience in national intelligence or policing.
• Evidence of a strong interest in extremism-related research.

Culture & Benefits

• Three years of full-time PhD scholarship funding with an indexed stipend and project top-up.
• Up to AUD 4,500 in additional support for research, professional development, or conference attendance.
• Professional and personal development support for higher degree research candidates.
• Access to a large criminology research community and collaboration with research and industry partners.
• Inclusive and flexible university environment.

Hiring process

• Submit an expression of interest by 16 October 2026 directly to Professor Kristina Murphy rather than through the application button.
• Include a suitability statement, academic evidence, CV, two referees, and proof of citizenship or residency status.
• The preferred applicant will then be invited to apply online for the PhD program and scholarship.