Senior Post Doctoral Researcher

The Role

Maynooth University is committed to a strategy in which the primary University goals of excellent research and scholarship and outstanding education are interlinked and equally valued.

We are seeking to recruit a Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher / Post-Doctoral Researcher for an exciting research project. This post offers an excellent opportunity to join an interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration – between Maynooth University and Teagasc – investigating the engagement levels of the farming sector in renewable energy and bioeconomy projects. This research project is funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), and the Researcher will be based in the School of Business at Maynooth University. The duration of this full-time post will be for 10 months, with a possible extension of a further 2 months.

Project Details

A key challenge facing the agricultural sector is the adaption of farming practices to develop a sustainable food supply in an environmentally sustainable manner. Farmers are faced with the challenge of balancing economic and environmental sustainability as many Irish farming enterprises are economically vulnerable. The agricultural industry needs to reduce carbon emissions in a way that ensures the economic sustainability of farm businesses. Therefore, it is imperative that farmers embrace advancements in renewable energy and other bioeconomy initiatives. However, engagement levels of the farming sector have been low to date and a deeper understanding of this issue is required.

In this context, this project will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of current engagement levels by the farming sector with renewable energy and bioeconomy projects, through an extensive stakeholder engagement process. This will include an identification of the drivers and barriers to engagement in such projects, with a specific focus placed on assessing the impact on farmers from a financial perspective.

This project will also identify the education/skills/training/supports required by farmers to engage in the transition to renewable energy sources. In this respect an educational programme (sector specific/targeted) will be developed to transfer knowledge to farmers on renewable energy to enhance their green skills. This educational programme will contribute to increasing farmer participation in renewable energy projects and the findings developed will contribute to and enhance policy recommendations for increasing farmer participation.

Salary

Post-Doctoral Researcher (2024)                            €42,783 - €49,177 (6 points)

Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher (2024)                           €50,540 p.a.(1 point)

Appointments will be made in accordance with public sector pay provisions.

Closing Date:

23:30hrs (local Irish time) on Sunday, 21st April 2024.

Please note all applications must be made via our Online Recruitment Portal at the following link:

https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/human-resources/vacancies

Applications must be submitted by the closing date and time specified above. Any applications which are still in progress at the closing time on the specified closing date will be cancelled automatically by the system.

Late applications will not be accepted.

Maynooth University is an equal opportunities employer

The position is subject to the Statutes of the University