PhD fellowship in Cover Crops for Carbon Capture and Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Section of Soil and Plant Sciences invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in Cover Crops for Carbon Capture and Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. The project is part of the research project CatCap, which is financed by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries.

Start date is (expected to be) 15 Aug 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project

The work of the PhD fellow will be closely connected to the research project CatCap project, which aims to determine the potential of catch crops and green manures to store carbon (C) in the soil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Danish crop production systems.

The PhD project will investigate soil carbon deposition from catch crops and green manures, both above and belowground, including deeper roots and root exudates, and the impact on soil carbon storage for some key species, cropping systems and soil fertility conditions. Furthermore, the effect of different cover crops on crop nitrogen use efficiency and nitrous oxide emissions will be studied in field experiments. The project will use advanced isotope plant labelling techniques, as well as gas emission measurements under both controlled environment and field conditions. This will also include analysis of the mechanisms and factors controlling cover crop effects on soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for candidates with a MSc within the fields of agronomy, biology, soil or environmental sciences. Applicants should have a background in soil organic matter turnover, soil carbon and nutrients in agricultural systems. Additional experience with and knowledge about plant root-soil interactions or gaseous emissions from soils will be an advantage.

Our group and research- and what do we offer?

The Soil Fertility research group focuses on soil fertility issues and environmental impacts related to sustainable agriculture with a special focus on nutrient cycling and climate change. Our research aims at a mechanistic understanding of soil nutrient and organic matter dynamics at both the level of micro-scale biogeophysical processes and at eco-system scales, in the pursuit of increased nutrient use efficiency, improved crop productivity and reduced environmental impacts from agriculture in the 21st century.

The group is a part of Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. We are located in Copenhagen, with main campus in Frederiksberg and field trials at our experimental farm in Taastrup, 20 km from the main campus.

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories, growth chambers, greenhouses and experimental fields.

Principal supervisor will be Professor,Lars Stoumann Jensen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, E-mail [email protected] , Direct Phone: +4521222039

The PhD programme

The PhD position available is a three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme).

To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. agronomy, biology or environmental sciences. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database .

Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

The terms of employment and salary are in accordance to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State (AC). The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in the PhD programme

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision and in collaboration with other partners in the project

• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project, including a MSc degree in agronomy, biology or environmental sciences
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest and knowledge in soil organic matter turnover and the mechanisms that determine the accumulation, degradation and losses of soil carbon, nutrients and gaseous emissions in agricultural systems.
• Good technical skills and interest in conducting plant and soil experiments in growth chamber/greenhouse as well as field conditions and have flair for conducting environmental measurements. 
• Experience with data management and an interest in statistics.
• Relevant work experience or other professional activities
• Good English language skills (written as well as oral)
• Good communicative and interpersonal skills.

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Application and Assessment Procedure

 Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include: 

Application deadline:

The deadline for applications is 7 June 2022, 23:59 GMT +2.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/ .

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in week 27.

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/ .

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position. 

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.