4 year Devenish Doctoral Training Programme

Devenish is a global agri technology company, delivering sustainable and innovative nutritional products and solutions for the feed and food industry and for human health. The Devenish strategy, 'One Health, From Soil to Society', focuses on the importance of optimising nutrient utilisation in soil, plant, animal, environmental and human health, as key and interlinked components of the value chain.

Devenish invests heavily into research as a means of answering current and future problems through robust science.

The Devenish Doctoral Training Programme will produce world-leading, cross-disciplinary scholars with a deep understanding of optimising nutrient utilisation in soils, plants, animals and humans and the importance of food nutrients for the promotion of good health and the prevention of ill health. As industry-conscious thinkers and leaders, successful applicants will help build the roadmaps of future agri-food research.

The Programme will be hosted by Queen’s University Belfast within the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS). IGFS research and innovation plays a critical role in making food systems future-proof - more sustainable, resilient, responsible, diverse, competitive, and inclusive - helping drive the sustainable production needed to nourish the world.

Comprehensive training Programme

The Devenish Doctoral Training Programme offers four-year PhD studentships. We are seeking enthusiastic students to join this dynamic programme, which will develop the skills needed to tackle research challenges across all of the Devenish Core Research Areas.

Each student will receive Professional Skills Development training within Devenish Nutrition; Biosciences Skills Development training within IGFS; and Personal Development and Transferable Skills training within the QUB Graduate School. Years 2-4 will focus on the PhD Research Project.

Applications should make clear how candidates’ skills and experience relate to the following Devenish Core Research Areas:

• Soil health & sustainability management.
• Optimised Animal Nutrition: e.g. the efficiency, health and function of the animal digestive processes; the use of targeted delivery systems for nutrients.
• Optimised Human Nutrition: e.g. maximising the nutritive value of animal derived foods for human consumption.
• Technology Systems for sustainable agriculture: e.g. sensor development; improving receipt of real time, quality data from animals or the environment.

The final title for the PhD Project will be agreed during Year 1 of the Programme.

Entry requirements

We invite applications from Science graduates who have, or expect to obtain, a first or upper second class degree and have a strong interest in one of the Core Research Areas.

The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants.

Funding

The Studentships will be fully funded by Devenish. Each studentship will be for four years and will commence 1st October 2019.The stipend will be a minimum £17,000 for 2019/20.

Deadline for applications

The closing date for applications is 29 March with interview in April.

How to apply

Candidates must submit an application via the University’s Direct Applications Portal. All successful applicants will be registered with the School of Biological Sciences (select when submitting application) for the duration of the degree programme.