PhD in Agricultural Sciences and Robotics

Job title:

PhD in Agricultural Sciences and Robotics

Company:

University College Dublin

Job description

Job Information Organisation/CompanyUniversity College Dublin DepartmentSchool of Agriculture and Food Science Research FieldAgricultural sciences » Soil scienceAgricultural sciences » Agricultural productsAgricultural sciences » Other Researcher ProfileFirst Stage Researcher (R1) PositionsPhD Positions CountryIreland Application Deadline3 Jun 2025 – 23:59 (America/Vancouver) Type of ContractNot Applicable Job StatusFull-time Offer Starting Date1 Sep 2025 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?Horizon Europe Reference Number2024GEH454 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?NoOffer DescriptionUnderstanding root system architectures and functions are a major challenge in agricultural science, with implications for crop resilience, resource use efficiency, and crop breeding. This PhD project focuses on the development and deployment of pervasive sensing systems for root phenotyping in field conditions. The proposed work lies at the intersection of crop science, robotics, sensing technologies, and agrogeophysics.The selected student will be responsible for the design and running of field trials to determine the potential of ground penetrating radar (GPR), Electrical conductivity (EC), and other complementary sensors for the monitoring of root structure in various soil conditions and crop establishment methods.The selected student will also lead the design, development, and integration of the sensors into a robotic phenotyping system. The research will harness agrogeophysical methods to detect and analyse root traits non-invasively, enabling high-throughput and in situ root characterisation. The ultimate aim is to contribute to the development of scalable, field-ready tools for below-ground phenotyping in precision agriculture and crop breeding.Key Responsibilities:

• Perform field trials to validate the sensing systems across multiple crop types, soil conditions, and crop establishment techniques.
• Design and implement sensor systems (particularly GPR and EC) tailored to root detection in agricultural soils.
• Develop robotic and mechatronic solutions for autonomous or semi-autonomous operation of sensing systems in field environments.
• Integrate sensors into an existing mobile platform, developing robust data acquisition, navigation, and control workflows.
• Explore novel approaches to pervasive sensing – using robotics to create rich spatial and temporal sensor networks across crop canopies and soils.
• Apply agrogeophysical techniques to interpret sensor data in terms of root system architecture and biomass.
• Contribute to sensor data processing workflows, including signal processing, geophysical inversion, and machine learning.
• Work as part of an interdisciplinary team of engineers, plant and crop scientists, and computational researchers.
• Present findings in peer-reviewed journals and at conferences, and contribute to open research outputs where appropriate.

Candidate Requirements:

• A degree in agriculture, agricultural engineering, robotics, remote sensing, soil science, computer science, electrical engineering, or a related field.
• Strong technical and analytical skills, particularly in sensor systems, signal processing, or robotics.
• Interest in interdisciplinary work, especially at the interface of engineering, geophysics, and crop science.
• Experience with mechatronics, embedded systems, or autonomous robotics is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C++, or MATLAB.
• Strong communication and project management skills.
• Willingness to work in outdoor, field-based environments as well as laboratory and computational settings.

Desirable Skills:

• Experience with agrogeophysical tools such as GPR, electrical resistivity tomography, or EMI sensors.
• Familiarity with robotic platforms (UGVs, UAVs, or modular mobile robots).
• Knowledge of crop physiology, agronomy, or root biology.
• Skills in CAD design, prototyping, and system integration.
• Experience with geospatial data, machine learning, or sensor fusion.

Funding Details:
The project will cover tuition fees at rate of €6,000 and a stipend at the rate of €25,000 for 4 years. The project also includes a budget for conference attendance. Please note that the above position will include a significant proportion of the work at UCDs Lyons Estate Research Farm which has limited public transport options.Application Process:
To apply, please submit:

• An up to date CV
• A cover letter explaining your interest and suitability for the role
• Degree transcripts
• Contact details for two academic referees

For informal discussions and to submit an application please contact Dr Gary Gillepsie, Assistant Professor of Crop Science, via email with the subject line ‘AGROSOIL PhD position’ at .Where to apply E-mailgary.gillespie@ucd.ieRequirementsResearch Field Agricultural sciences » Soil science Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Agricultural sciences » Other Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Computer science » Programming Education Level UndergraduateLanguages ENGLISH Level ExcellentAdditional InformationWork Location(s)Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute University College Dublin Country Ireland State/Province Dublin City Dublin GeofieldContact State/ProvinceDublin CityDublin WebsiteStreetBelfield E-Mailgary.gillespie@ucd.ieSTATUS: EXPIREDShare this page

Expected salary

Location

Dublin

Job date

Fri, 23 May 2025 01:07:33 GMT

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