PhD Postgraduate Research Opportunity Payments for Ecosystem Services from multifunctional High Nature Value farming systems in Natura 2000 designated landscapes

The PhD is in partnership with the Hen Harrier Project and is funded through the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine funded Hen Harrier Project http://henharrierproject.ie/

Applications are invited for a 3 year funded PhD position at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology based at our Galway campus. The PhD is in partnership with the Hen Harrier Project. This is an exciting opportunity to work on the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine funded Hen Harrier Project http://henharrierproject.ie/. The Hen Harrier Project is a European Innovation Partnership for Agriculture Productivity and Sustainability (EIP AGRI). The Hen Harrier Project aims to improve the sustainability of rural areas designated as Special Protection Areas for breeding Hen Harriers. The project works as a practical partnership with a results-based approach to farming aimed at delivering biodiversity, upland ecosystem services and a vibrant local economy.
This PhD will focus on these multifunctional farmed landscapes and assessment of their potential for delivery of multiple ecosystem services to society. The Hen Harrier Project EIP in Ireland provides a unique opportunity to undertake multi-scale assessments of ecosystems services within the context of the development, design and implementation of payments for ecosystem services measure that rewards multiple outcomes from a Natura 2000 designated areas for Hen Harrier. The proposed objectives of the PhD are:

• Quantify and map the ecosystem service provision from upland farmland areas that support Hen Harrier in Ireland through a map-
based assessment using direct and proxy data from available national datasets and the Hen Harrier Project.
• Evaluate spatial overlap, synergies and trade-offs in ecosystem services and biodiversity (HH and associated species) conservation
• Results-based agri-environment measures testing and refinement of scorecards for multiple ecosystem service provision.

Requirements/Qualifications:

• Must hold an Honours Degree (minimum 2:2, but 2:1 or higher is desirable) in environmental science, ecology, agricultural science or
related discipline. An MSc or equivalent experience in relevant discipline would be desirable.
• Full clean driver’s license.
• Plant identification and vegetation analysis.
• GIS experience and working knowledge of statistics.
• Knowledge and keen interest in the ecological management of farmland habitats and associated species.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Good interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.

Project Duration: 36 months

Conditions:
• €16,000 Stipend per annum.
• Postgraduate fees for EU students will be covered by the project.
• In addition, any necessary travel and material costs incurred during the project will be covered.

Please Note: Candidates from outside the EU are eligible to apply, but will be expected to provide evidence of sources of additional funds to cover excesses associated with Non-EU fees.

If either English or Irish is not the applicant’s first language, a certificate of language ability in either language is required. IELTS level 6.0 or equivalent is mandatory for those presenting with English as a foreign language.

Project Start Date: October 2018

Application Closing Date: 17 August 2018