Research Assistant x 2

Applications are invited for a temporary post of a Research Assistant x 2 within UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science.

Two Research Assistants are required to support research activities in the field of ruminant nutrition research. Declining water quality and increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) and ammonia emissions are contributing to increased pressure on the agricultural sector to mitigate such negative environmental outcomes. Approaches to reducing GHG emissions and nitrogen pollution include feed additives, feeding strategies and sward diversification to include legumes in the grazing sward which require less nitrogen containing fertilizer and a reduction. However, further strategies will be required to achieve the environmental targets set. Therefore, the objective of this project is to investigate the effect of differing nutritional strategies (seaweed, plantain, concentrate supplementation) and management practices (water based delivery of feed additives) on the nitrogen excretion, methane emissions, rumen fermentation and productivity of dairy cows and beef animals.

Duties will include forage and feed sample collection, preparation and analysis. These samples will be collected from

the various paddocks involved in the trial including plantain, perennial ryegrass and clover swards with subsequent

assessment of the composition of the swards and sample collection for proximate feed analysis such as dry matter,

fibre and protein. The research assistants will have a primary role in animal husbandry. This will include daily checking

and handling of the animals on the trial, feed allocations and other husbandry practices as required. The research

assistants will also be involved in sample collection of milk, rumen fluid and faeces.

Candidates will have a suitable degree and some research or analytical experience would be beneficial. The successful

candidates will be involved in grassland management, sample collection, such as milk, rumen fluid, faecal and herbage

sampling, sample preparation/storage, including drying (herbage), freezing (rumen fluid) or refrigeration (faeces) and

subsequent analysis.

The positions are based at UCD Lyons Farm and the successful candidates will join a growing and dynamic team

investigating solutions to environmental challenges facing ruminant production systems.

Fixed Salary: €27,380 per annum.

Appointment on the above range will be dependent upon qualifications and experience.

Closing date: 17:00hrs (local Irish time) on 14th November 2022.

Applications must be submitted by the closing date and time specified. Any applications which are still in progress at the closing time of 17:00hrs (Local Irish Time) on the specified closing date will be cancelled automatically by the system. UCD are unable to accept late applications.

UCD do not require assistance from Recruitment Agencies. Any CV's submitted by Recruitment Agencies will be returned.