PhD position at South East Technological University (Ireland)

Key details

• Host institution: South East Technological University
• Location: South East Technological University, Waterford, Ireland
• Application deadline: May 20, 2026

Funding

Not funded by a EU programme

Funding level (from listing): partial or not via EU framework — confirm on the official call.

How to apply

• Apply by email to [email protected] (subject line and attachments per the official instructions).
• Full vacancy text and updates: Euraxess listing.

About the position

Job Offer: PhD Scholarship in Biodiversity and Forest Management

Institution: South East Technological University

Advert Reference Number: WD_2025_10_SPONS

Supervisor: MARYAM FAZLOLLAHI MOHAMMADI (SETU Waterford)

Research Group: FORESTRY

Department/School/Faculty: LAND SCIENCES

Duration: 4 Years/48 Months

Status: Full-time

Funding Information: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Value of the Scholarship: Stipend: €25,000 per annum for four years; Fees: €5,750 per annum

Closing Date and Time: Wednesday, 20 May at 4pm Irish Time

Interview Date: To be confirmed

PhD Commencement Date: To be confirmed

Project Key Words: Biodiversity, conifers, birds, native woodlands, LiDAR

Post Summary

This project is part of the main project entitled “C-BioStock – 3D laser scanning for detecting change in carbon stocks and soil biodiversity across native and commercial Irish forests”. There are 2 other PhD students based in UCC and UCD working on this project.

Forests in Ireland are important for biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, and timber production. Soils, vegetation, and birds are among the key aspects of forest biodiversity affected by management operations such as clear-felling. Both coniferous plantations and native woodlands hold great potential for improving landscape-level biodiversity and carbon storage, but considerable uncertainty surrounds the management approaches best suited to achieve these goals.

CBioStock will classify site ecological changes in two contrasting management systems at a series of developmental stages to accurately evaluate how biodiversity changes in second and subsequent rotation coniferous forests and native woodlands. Specifically, the response of soil biodiversity (using metabarcoding methods and hill series calculations) to clear-felling will be investigated by comparing a mature stand prior to harvesting with a chronosequence of developing reforestation sites and native woodlands at different developmental stages.

We propose an expansion to the Fossit classifications to include more than one forest development stage to more appropriately assess the biodiversity value of second and subsequent forestry sites. We will test proxy indicators for monitoring biodiversity to associate with variations in carbon sequestration and productivity potential by using two methods of terrestrial LiDAR and traditional field sampling methods.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential:

• Applicants should have a good primary degree (First- or Second-class Honours) or M.Sc. in an appropriate discipline such as Ecology, soil science, botany, environmental science or a related discipline.
• The successful candidate should be highly motivated, have good communication skills and must be prepared to work within a multidisciplinary team and with other PhD students.
• A successful candidate will be required to have an EU driving license to facilitate the collection of data fields.

Desirable:

• Having a good primary degree in forestry

Knowledge & Experience

Essential:

• Forestry knowledge
• Ecology knowledge

Desirable:

• Having experience in soil sampling
• Experience working in forestry
• Experience in environmental consultancy or surveying sectors
• Having experience in Microbiology
• Having experience in Forest ecology

Skills & Competencies

Essential:

• Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate on application that they meet SETU’s English language requirements and provide all necessary documentation. See Page 7 of the Code of Practice
• In order to be shortlisted for interview, you must meet the SETU English speaking requirements so please provide evidence in your application.

Further Information

For any informal queries, please contact Maryam Fazlollahi Mohammadi on email: [email protected]

Application Procedure

Complete the online application form from the SETU website quoting the advert reference code WD_2025_10_SPONS from the above table.

Please ensure that you upload all supporting documents as part of your submission. Please note that applications must be submitted by this route.

For queries relating to the application and admission process, please contact the Postgraduate Admissions Office [email protected] or telephone +353 (0)51 302883.

University Website https://www.setu.ie/

The University will short-list and interview those applicants who provide the most suitable information in terms of experience, qualifications and other requirements relevant to the post.

SOUTH EAST TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY (SETU) IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER