PhD Researcher in Sociology: Agricultural Practices and the Regulatory Environment that Governs Antimicrobial use in Ireland

Post Status: 48 months, Full-time

Starting Date: September 2022

Reports to: Dr Elaine Moriarty; Prof Trevor Hodkinson

Closing Date: 10 June 2022

PhD Position:

The School of Social Sciences and Philosophy and the School of Natural Sciences at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) seeks to appoint an outstanding and highly motivated PhD candidate with excellent qualifications for a period of 4 full years (48 months).

The PhD candidate will be integrated into a dynamic group of PhD candidates within the research project RESIST-AMR Antimicrobial Resistance: Engineering Natural, One-Health, Systems Thinking Solutions to a Manmade Global Disaster which is funded by the Prendergast Challenge Awards, a prestigious award from Trinity College Dublin. Antimicrobials are critical resources for human, animal and plant health. With the emergence of antimicrobial resistance and the lack of new antimicrobials, we face an unprecedented global environmental, food security and human health threat. RESIST-AMR is a structured PhD training programme which umbrellas the Schools of Natural Sciences, Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, Engineering, Social Science and Philosophy and Computer Science and Statistics and external collaborators Teagasc agriculture and food development authority. Applying a multi-disciplinary approach, RESIST PhD candidates will perform critical analysis of environmental and human ‘resistomes’ from agricultural settings and analyse agricultural stakeholders’ practices and policies to identify institutional reform implications. 

Standard duties of the post

• Critical, systematic and analytical review of relevant literature the project.
• Conducting empirical research using statistical analysis and a qualitative panel study.
• Writing academic pieces (articles/dissertation chapters) in English.
• Writing and submitting research papers for publication and contributing to joint projects or related submissions with the PhD supervisor (s).
• Organising and attending meetings, workshops and conferences.
• Disseminating academic work to specialised and general audiences.
• 4 hours of teaching per week during the statutory teaching term (facilitating undergraduate tutorials).

Person Specification 

Qualifications

• MA, MSc or MPhil in Sociology, Social Policy, Geography, Agricultural Studies, Rural studies, Environmental studies or cognate fields (thesis should be either defended or submitted).

Essential research skills

• An analytical, independent and systematic approach to research.
• Ability to adopt an interdisciplinary approach.
• High-level training in advanced social science methodologies.
• Familiarity with diverse data collection techniques (e.g., interviewing; questionnaire design).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills using English language.
• Good organisational skills and ability to engage in team work.

Other essential skills

• Engage in public dissemination of the project results.
• Motivation to publish in high-impact scientific journals.
• Willingness to contribute to the development of the project.
• Contributing to the intellectual and academic community of TCD.
• Contribute to the teaching programme of Sociology TCD.

Further information: PhD Position: Agricultural practices and the regulatory environment that governs antimicrobial use in Ireland - Sociology - Trinity College Dublin (tcd.ie)