Organisation/Company University College Cork Department HR Research Research Field Engineering » Civil engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 12 Feb 2026 - 12:00 (Europe/Dublin) Country Ireland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 39 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? NoOffer DescriptionPhD Studentship on “Low carbon fuel pathways for remote island ferries.”The work funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) will examine the potential for electrification of remote island ferries; it will assess battery swapping, opportunistic charging and hybrid options. The hybrid options will include for liquid and gaseous fuels and will consider the production of e-fuels and biofuels within circular economy systems for use on island ferries. The methodology will include for desk top modelling work which integrates techno-economic, life cycle, and multi criteria decision analysis. The supervisory team will be drawn from Prof Jerry Murphy, Dr David Wall, Dr Richie O Shea, Dr Barry Hayes and Dr Nathan Gray.UCC Sustainability InstituteThe Sustainability Institute, formerly the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) at University College Cork was established in 2000 as a flagship University Institute to bring together researchers to address complex global sustainability challenges using a transdisciplinary approach. The Sustainability Institute is a UCC Futures Institute. UCC Futures is an ambitious new programme of research prioritisation coupled with an innovative academic recruitment strategy across ten indicative areas of strategic importance that will build a foundation for economic, societal and cultural resilience and prosperity. The Sustainability Institute constitutes an important part of UCC’s strategy to develop interdisciplinary research institutes that have a critical mass of world-class researchers in prioritised research areas to enable a more strategic approach, create an interdisciplinary research environment, develop capacity, and engage coherently with industry and society.The Sustainability Institute is recognised for its expertise in environmental, marine, energy, sustainable materials, and sustainable food research, and is focused on addressing three global environmental challenges: Climate Action, Circular Economy, and Healthy Environment. The Institute currently has over 400 researchers from 20 disciplines and incorporates a number of research centres including: MaREI Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine, Centre for Research on Atmospheric Chemistry (CRAC), the Cleaner Production and Promotion Unit (CPPU) and Centre for Law and the Environment (CLE). The Sustainability Institute has a unique and outstanding physical space for conducting research with substantial research facilities at its two dedicated buildings, the Ellen Hutchins Building on the Lee Road, Cork and the Beaufort Building, Ringaskiddy which houses the Lir National Ocean test Facility (NOTF) along with research facilities across UCC campus.MaREI Centre for energy, climate, and marineThe successful PhD will be based in the MaREI Centre for energy, climate and marine headquartered in the Sustainability Institute in University College Cork. MaREI is a key research centre within UCC’s Sustainability Institute, which is an internationally recognised Institute for environmental research dedicated to the understanding and protection of our natural environment and to developing innovative technologies, tools and services to facilitate a transformation to a zero carbon and resource efficient society. The MaREI Centre is a Research Ireland funded research centre, which includes for 13 other Universities and Third Level Institutes from across Ireland, has 100 industrial partners and has accumulated research funding of over €130m. It combines the expertise of a wide range of research groups and industry partners, with the shared mission of solving the main scientific, technical and socio-economic challenges across the climate, energy and marine spaces. MaREI is also funded by SEAI, EI, EPA, ERDF, EU, HEA, Marine Institute, and DCCAE, as well as through contributions from our industry partners. Researchers in the MaREI Centre have over 30 years of experience in conducting fundamental and applied research supported by competitively won national and international funding, and commercial contracts with government agencies and industry. MaREI’s strengths lie in the multi-disciplinary nature of its research teams, allowing it to combine insights across areas such as Marine Renewable Energy Technologies, Materials & Structures, Observations & Operations, Coastal & Marine Systems, Bioenergy, Energy Policy & Modelling and Renewable Energy Management.MaREI’s Circular Economy Energy and Environmental Systems (CEEES) Research Group focus on renewable advanced fuel production in circular economy systems consists of approximately 20 researchers. The breadth of the work includes for analysis of systems from ocean (offshore wind and seaweed) to conversion (biofuels, biorefineries, e-fuels and e-refineries) to end use (industry, transport).Detailed laboratory work includes for production of volatile fatty acids, biohydrogen and biomethane from feedstocks such as agricultural residues, lignocellulosic crops, macro-algae (seaweed) and micro-algae. Research covers biological and thermochemical bioenergy pathways. The group investigates a range of innovative technologies at laboratory scale including for Power to Gas, demand driven biogas and novel biogas upgrading technologies. Fundamental and applied aspects of biomass gasification, pyrolysis, and methanation are also investigated. Work includes for desktop analyses such as chemical kinetic modelling, process simulation, geographic specific bioresources, lifecycle analysis, sustainability analyses, techno-economic and multi criteria decision making studies. The research facilitates the development of roadmaps, which describe how Ireland can initiate a renewable hydro-carbon industry and contribute to mandatory renewable energy targets for renewable heat and transport fuels.The CEEES research groupis led byProf Jerry D Murphy(Director of the Research Ireland MaREI Centre and Chair of Civil Engineering),Dr Archishman Bose (Eli Lilly Lecturer at Process and Chemical Engineering),Dr Richard O’Shea (Lecturer in Sustainability in Enterprise), and Dr David Wall (Senior Lecturer in Transportation).Research Project information:Alternative Indigenous fuels produced in circular economy systems for use in island Ferry services in Ireland (AI-Ferry)The PositionOne PhD studentship is being advertised. The position is a 48 month fully-funded PhD (tax-free stipend of €25,000 per year andtuition fees covered at the EU rate; Non-EU applicants may be required to pay additional non-EU fees)which will be based at the School of Engineering and Architecture in University College Cork in MaREI.Duration and Start Date: 48-month duration, starting July 1st, 2026CriteriaFirst-class honours degree (or equivalent) in civil, environmental, energy, mechanical, chemical and/or electrical engineering.Experience assessing integrated energy and transport systems.Capability of working within a project team to achieve results.Good communication, organisation, and interpersonal skills.
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