PhD opportunity in Soil Science and Digital Agriculture! I am particularly excited to post this PhD position under the project Farm Scan that aims to improve digital agriculture in the area of continuous soil monitoring using decomposable sensor nodes. If interested, please get in touch!
Funded PhD opportunity FarmScan: Real-time data collection for soil monitoring
from decomposable sensors Funded by the Green ERA-HUB on Agri-Food and Biotechnology
through the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)
Stipend for scholarship: €25,000 (tax-free) per annum
plus tuition fee contributions of €6,000 p.a.
Project Duration: 4 years
Based at University College Dublin
Enhancing agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental impact is crucial in
the face of global climate challenges. Detailed knowledge of soil conditions, moisture,
nutrients, and pest spread with high spatial resolution can increase agricultural yields
while reducing the need for irrigation, fertilizers, and pesticides. The more farmers
know about their fields, the more targeted and effective actions they can take. Satellite
data provides a good starting point but suffers from poor spatial resolution and limited
data quality. Ground-based sensors are more accurate but require significant effort
for manual deployment and must be recovered at the end of their life. This PhD will
guide the development of decomposable soil sensors by defining the requirements for
optimizing soil functions and soil microbial processes to ensure that the sensor nodes
are designed in a way that supports precision agricultural management. In controlled
environmental chambers at UCD, decomposability in soil will be measured to ensure
that sensor nodes do not negatively impact soil health by assessment of chemical and
biological indicators. In the field, agronomic trials will assess the decomposable
sensors performance in providing real time data collected at field scale for a whole
crop season. Field trials will also assess the lifespan of the sensors and their dynamics
of mass loss and functioning in real field conditions
Requirements: The candidate should have a good primary degree (first or 2.1 Honours) and/or Master’s in Soil Science, Agricultural Science/Environmental Sciences/Geography or related disciplines. They should be prepared to work in a professional manner in a multidisciplinary and multicultural team and engage with collaborators. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to work on laboratory and
field-based experiments, write reports, prepare journal articles, deliver presentations,
work independently and as part of a team. Previous lab experience and publications
in soil science and agronomy are an advantage. Academic English certification is
required.
Awards: The PhD will be conducted under the primary supervision of
Dr. Sharon O’Rourke (https://people.ucd.ie/sharon.orourke1) and Dr. Tamíris da Costa
(https://people.ucd.ie/tamiris.dacosta) at UCD School of Biosystems and Food
Engineering.
Stipend for scholarship: €25,000 (tax-free) per annum plus tuition fee contributions of €6,000 p.a. Both EU/UK and international candidates are welcomed.
Project Duration: 4 years
Expected project commencement date: 1st May 2025
Application procedure: To apply, please complete this Google form and upload your
full CV, cover letter and copies of degree transcript by 12 noon on 18th April 2025.
Please provide any relevant details on research/work experience and study
motivation in your CV and cover letter. In your CV, please provide contact details of
two referees (we will not contact them without your permission).