Environmental and Biochemical Sciences Department
Organisation/Company: James Hutton Institute
Department: Environmental and Biochemical Sciences
Research Field: Environmental science » Ecology, Environmental science » Water science
Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
Positions: PhD Positions
Country: United Kingdom
Application Deadline: 15 Mar 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Stockholm)
Type of Contract: Not Applicable
Job Status: Full-time
Hours Per Week: 40
Offer Starting Date: 1 Jul 2025
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number 101169293
Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description
This fully funded PhD position is available under the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) Doctoral Networks (DN) project “BEYOND” Beyond the current: Improving European flowing waters in an era of global change. BEYOND will train the next generation of water professionals who will deliver scientific and technological innovation across disciplines, institutions, and countries needed to solve European water quality problems in an era of global change.
Integrated agroecological management is seen as a potential solution to degrading agroecosystems. However, its impacts on water quality are still poorly understood. The aim of this project is to examine whether and how systemic change in agronomic practices and spatial targeting of measures could scale up to allow the protection of water quality under future climate and socio-economic scenarios. Specifically, the PhD will:
* Investigate the potential of agro-ecological agricultural practices to mitigate diffuse pollution from nutrients, sediments, and other contaminants.
* Investigate the potential of systemic change in agronomic practice to deliver resilient water quality and water resources under future hydrological extremes.
* Quantify the scale and targeting of interventions required for mitigation and adaptation across a climatic gradient.
This PhD will provide excellent multi-disciplinary training in catchment science (hydrology, water quality, soil science, agronomy) and system-based modelling, with an opportunity for limited field data collection and engagement with stakeholders in the farming sector.
The Doctoral Candidate will have an opportunity to take part in short visits and secondments to leading Agricultural Research Programs in Ireland, Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), and CARBERY food producer in Ireland for additional training and knowledge exchange.
The project will be supervised by Dr. Miriam Glendell and Dr. Cathy Hawes from the James Hutton Institute and Prof. Phil Jordan at the University of Ulster, UK. The student will have access to additional support from Dr. Nicholas Schurch from Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Dr. Leah-Jackson Blake at NIVA in Norway, and Dr. Per-Erik Mellander from Teagasc in Ireland. You will be based in the Environmental and Biochemical Sciences Department (https://www.hutton.ac.uk/department/environmental-and-biochemical-scien…) located in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Minimum Requirements
The candidates must have an MSc (or an equivalent) degree in environmental sciences, soil science, agronomy, hydrology, hydrochemistry, mathematics, and statistics or a related discipline. A solid background in statistical data analysis is an important asset.
* Have potential for conducting outstanding research, as demonstrated by scientific accomplishments (in particular quality of MSc thesis, but also e.g. code repositories, conference presentations, outreach activities, or publications).
* Be interested in working in a multidisciplinary and international research environment.
* Have excellent communication skills in English, verbally as well as in scientific writing.
* Be willing to undertake international travel for training and research activities of BEYOND and project-specific short visits and secondments at partner institutions.
Languages: ENGLISH Level: Excellent
Additional Information
The monthly gross salary consists of a country-dependent living allowance, a mobility allowance (£522 GBP), and, if applicable, a family allowance (£431 GBP). In the UK, the monthly living allowance is £3,038 GBP.
Eligibility Criteria
* Be of any nationality, but must not have resided or carried out the main activity in the UK for more than 12 months in the last 36 months;
* Have not yet been awarded a PhD degree.
All interested candidates irrespective of age, nationality, gender, race, disability, religion, or ethnic background, are encouraged to apply. The work language will be English.
Selection Process
The applications must be received by the 15th of March 2025, including the following documents (all strictly in PDF format):
* Master [alternatively, the expected graduation date of Master's degree] and Bachelor diplomas (in a single PDF file),
* Master and Bachelor grades’ transcripts (in a single PDF file),
* A motivation letter stating your specific interest, motivation, and qualifications for the project in question (max 1 A4 page),
* A research statement describing how your expertise and previous experience align with the PhD project objectives (200 words),
* The names of at least two reference persons (provide names and contact details) who can provide information on your research performance.
The applicants are encouraged to apply for up to three different BEYOND PhD positions, but please note that you have to apply for them separately via relevant institutional websites. Please check the details at https://www.slu.se/beyond
Additional Comments
Timeline
The expected start date for this position is between 1st of July and 30th of September 2025.
Candidates selected for interviews will be contacted within 1 month from the closing date.
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