Offer Description

We are looking for a PhD Candidate to join the Sustainable Field Crops team, based in La Tallada d'Empordà (Girona). We offer the opportunity to be part of an organization with a dynamic, collaborative work environment focused on professional development.

The selected candidate will assess multi-focus sustainability impacts from boosting agroecological practices in arable cropping systems based on a range of field experiments and modelling tools. This is a project funded by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI).

Key researchers for the position: Dr. Jordi Doltra and Dr. Francesc Domingo.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

- Performing literature review, data collection and management, data analysis and visualization
- Conducting field experiments, sampling and measuring plant, soil, gas emissions and other environmental variables.
- Using and adjusting soil-crop simulation models for system analysis at multi-scale level
- Performing quantification of agronomic, environmental and socio-economic impacts in novel and business-as-usual cropping systems
- Coordinating with other researchers from IRTA and other partners in the project
- Disseminating the research findings at national and international conferences
- Writing papers for scientific journals and technical articles
- Contributing to the teamwork environment and collaborations within the research group

Where to apply Website

Requirements

Research Field Agricultural sciences » Agronomics Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Required qualifications and experience

- Degree in Agronomy, Biology, Environmental Science, Soil Science or related ones.
- Master's degree in agronomy, soil science, agroecology, food biotechnology or related fields from environmental science or biology.
- To be in the position to access a doctoral program according to the requirements of Catalan universities, i.e.



accrediting between 60 and 120 ECTS credits at the official university master's degree level or equivalent.
- Not to have a previous PhD degree
- Proficiency in English
- Strong teamwork skills, ability to adapt to multidisciplinary environments and a focus on professional growth and development.

Desirable requirements

- Motivation for sustainable agriculture and soil management
- Good capacity for conducting field work, data processing and analysis
- Previous experience in research projects in agronomy, and/or in soil science and in plant and soil measurements and monitoring (including gas emission)
- Good statistical skills including analysis of data from pluri-annual and long-term trials
- Knowledge of programming (e.g. R and/or Python) and use of IA tools
- Experience in using crop and soil models.
- Analytical and organizational skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present research findings clearly to both scientific and non-specialist audiences.
- Car Driving license.
- Catalan and Spanish are valued.

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Research Field Agricultural sciences » Agronomics

Additional Information

Benefits

Advantages of joining our team:

- Contract: 4 years
- Salary:

- First, second and third year of contract: 23.322,09€ gross per year
- Fourth year of contract: 26.325,47€ gross per year

*Subject to the corresponding withholdings, pursuant to prevailing regulations, and to the collective employment agreement of IRTA

The doctoral grant provides up to 7.000€ in additional funding to cover:

- Research stays of at least one month at other R&D; centres.




- Tuition fees for the four years of the PhD programme.

- 37.5 hour workweek, with Friday afternoons off
- Intensive work schedule from 15/06 to 15/09
- 23 vacation days
- 3 days of family & work conciliation
- 45 hours of personal days
- Remote work 6 workdays per month
- Adaptable Schedule for a good work-life balance.
- Continuous training and professional growth opportunities.

Selected candidates must, at the time of signing the employment contract, provide documentation confirming either their admission to a doctoral programme or their enrolment in the programme.

Please know that if you are the chosen candidate and you are from a country which does not belong to the UE, IRTA's People Department will support you to get the residence and working permits.

Selection process

Timings in the Recruitment Process

Curricular assessment: The candidate's qualifications and merits will be evaluated according to the criteria established in the job offer.

Interview(s): These will be conducted by a Selection Committee to assess the candidate's suitability in terms of professional experience and competencies.

Additional tests (if applicable): Depending on the position profile and the needs of the process, specific competency-based tests and/or a psychometric test may be included in order to more accurately assess the suitability of the candidates.

Start of contract: January 2027 (approximately)

The contract is part of project PID2025-172018OR-C21, funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Social Fund Plus FSE+.

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute IRTA Country Spain State/Province Catalonia City Girona Geofield

Contact State/Province

Barcelona City

Caldes de Montbui Website

Street

Torre Marimon Crta. C-59, Km. 12,1 Postal Code

08140

STATUS: EXPIRED

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