PhD Project - Water Quality, Antimicrobial Resistance and Pathogens

High quality coastal and inland waters are critically important to environmental and public health as well as for the sustainability of many local communities.  Acclimatize 2, a multidisciplinary project with inputs from environmental microbiology, molecular biology and civil engineering, will provide a detailed analyses of the factors impacting water quality in Dublin Bay.  Acclimatize 2 is funded by the Bathing Water Task Force.  For more information, visit www.acclimatize.eu .

This PhD project, which is embedded within the Acclimatize-2 project, will focus on pollution pressures on catchments and coastal areas in Dublin Bay.  Furthermore, the project will study the role pollution plays in introducing antimicrobial resistance genes and pathogens into the aquatic environment. The project will be supervised by Professor Wim Meijer and Professor John O’Sullivan at University College Dublin.

This position is for an enthusiastic person with an interest in water quality, antimicrobial resistance and pathogenic microorganisms. You should be familiar with molecular biology and its application to environmental research. 

Eligibility

BSc (honours) or MSc degree in Microbiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Environmental Biology or a related discipline.

The successful candidate should be enthusiastic, self-motivated and willing to carry out fieldwork.

The candidate should have excellent communication and organisational skills; and have strong written, oral and interpersonal skills. The candidate should be able to work independently and as a part of team.

Funding

This four year PhD studentship covers tuition fees and a tax free stipend of €25,000 per year.

How to apply

Please send:

• A cover letter detailing your research interests, goals, as well as reasons for applying for the position,
• A curriculum vitae that includes your relevant experience, undergraduate results, any relevant publications (if applicable)
• Contact information for two academic referees

to Professor Wim Meijer ([email protected] ) by 1st March 2024. Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Professor Wim Meijer.