School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Organisation/Company University College Dublin Department School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Research Field Engineering » Computer engineering Engineering » Communication engineering Computer science » Modelling tools Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Ireland Application Deadline 3 Jun 2025 - 23:59 (America/Vancouver) Type of Contract Not Applicable Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 Sep 2025 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe Reference Number 2024GEH454 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description
The department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, UCD, Dublin, Ireland has two open, fully-funded, full time PhD positions in the fields of signal processing and applied ML/AI for precision agriculture and in field robotics and experimental design for agriculture. The department is looking for a highly motivated student with a background in applied mathematics, physics, engineering, computer science, earth sciences or related disciplines.
Project:
The AgroSoil project is a collaboration between Irish, German and Uruguayan institutions focussing on advancing the cutting edge data tools and robotics for precision agriculture. Understanding soil-plant interactions is essential for sustainable agriculture, particularly in the face of climate change. This PhD position is part of a broader research initiative aimed at improving non-destructive monitoring techniques for soil conditions, root development, and nutrient distribution. By integrating geophysical measurement techniques with sensor networks and AI-driven data analysis, this project seeks to enhance decision-making in precision agriculture under extreme weather conditions such as droughts and floods.
To investigate and make sense of this soil-plant relationship the project will:
* Apply state-of-the-art high-resolution subsurface sensing methods to map soil structure
* Develop signal processing and data fusion methods to identify key characteristics of the soil
* Apply ML/AI tools to model relationship between soil and crop and investigate behaviour under varying conditions.
Role:
As a PhD candidate in this project, you will play a key role in developing and applying advanced computational methods to process and interpret soil and crop data. Your primary responsibilities will include:
* Developing signal processing and data fusion techniques to extract critical soil characteristics from geophysical measurements.
* Applying machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) tools to model relationships between soil properties, crop performance, and environmental factors.
* Investigating how soil and crop interactions change under varying agricultural treatments and climate conditions.
* Collaborating with other researchers within the group and contributing to the integration of different geophysical and sensor-based datasets.
* Publishing research findings in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at international conferences.
* Participating in teaching assistant duties as required.
Candidate Profile:
We are looking for an enthusiastic and ambitious early-career researcher with a passion for problem-solving, coding, and working with large datasets. The ideal candidate should have:
* A Master’s degree in earth sciences, physics, applied mathematics, engineering, computer science, or a related discipline.
* Strong programming skills in scientific computing languages such as Python or MATLAB.
* Experience or interest in data processing, analysis, and modelling.
* A keen interest in applying computational methods to real-world agricultural and environmental challenges.
* Excellent teamwork and communication skills, including fluency in spoken and written English.
* A willingness to engage in independent research and contribute to collaborative projects.
A PhD with us:
This PhD position offers the opportunity to work on an interdisciplinary and impactful research project in a dynamic academic environment. You will gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge geophysical measurement techniques, machine learning methodologies, and sensor networks while contributing to the advancement of precision agriculture. The position is fully funded and provides opportunities for international collaboration, conference participation, and career development. The salary and general working conditions are internationally highly competitive with stipend of €24,000 a year.
Application:
The application window is open and will remain open until the position is filled. The position is available with a flexible start date, as soon as possible, starting from March 2025. We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents prepared in English (please make sure your last name is on all documents, and in all file names):
* A cover letter stating your Applicability and Motivation for the role, including Research Interest Statement (max. 2 pages).
* A full CV, including references.
Applications via email can be sent to Dr. Declan Delaney, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, UCD ( declan.delaney@ucd.ie ).
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