PhD fellow - Faculty of Life Sciences - 26.06.2008

Ph.D. fellow in
Plant Nutrition and Environmental Impacts of Animal Manure Separation Technologies

 

Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen

 

Department of Agricultural Sciences wishes to appoint a Ph.D. fellow in Plant Nutrition and Environmental Impacts of Animal Manure Separation Technologies from 1 September 2008 (or as soon as possible thereafter) to 31 August 2011.

 

Job description

With reference to the project manager, the work of the Ph.D. fellow will consist mainly of duties in connection with research and development within impact of animal manure separation technologies on distribution of nutrients and contaminants and their speciation and persistence during storage. The PhD project will include work on:

- characterization of animal slurries and different separation fractions (liquid and solid) thereof in terms of chemical, physical and biological properties relevant for the plant availability, distribution and leaching of nutrients and contaminants, incl. pathogens and natural estrogens.

- relationships between relevant properties and separation technologies, slurry types etc.

- effects of storage conditions on changes in chemical, physical and biological properties relevant for the fate and survival of contaminants in animal slurries and separation fractions

- predictive models, incl. data from spectroscopic and other rapid analytical methods

The PhD project will be part of a larger interdisciplinary project funded by the Strategic Research Council, Leaching of pathogens and estrogens from manure separation products to freshwater (PATHOS), with partners from several research institutes and the industry, and the project will offer excellent possibilities for industry collaboration.

The appointee should have qualifications within the following areas:

• General knowledge in soil science, plant nutrition and/or agronomy
• Good qualifications in environmental and analytical chemistry
• Knowledge of modern spectroscopic methods and multivariate data analyses is an advantage

Qualification requirements

In connection with the appointment to the post special importance will be attached to the applicant having the professional and personal qualifications stated below:

• Passed Master’s degree in relation to the above subject area(s)
• Research potential, enterprising personality and good interpersonal skills.

Terms of employment

The post will be filled according to the Agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The post is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

The position as Ph.D. fellow requires the applicant to be approved for admission to the Ph.D. programme at LIFE when accepted for the post.

 

Questions

For further information about the post, please contact project manager Lars Stoumann Jensen on tel. (+45) 353 33470

General questions regarding Ph.D. programmes should be directed to Course Administration c/o special advisor Michael Cleve Hansen, tel. + 45 3533 2056 or head clerk Lillian Zeuthen Bjørnseth on tel. +45 3533 2172. Further information on Ph.D. programmes is available at www.uk.life.ku.dk >Present students > Ph.D. programmes > Regulations.

 

Application

The application should be submitted in 2 (sorted) copies; therefore it’s not possible to receive the application by e-mail. The application must include a reply e-mail address. Each application must include the following appendices marked with the stated appendix numbers:

Appendix 1: curriculum vitae with documentation of education.

Appendix 2: material required for expert assessment.

In addition to the material the applicant wishes to be included in the assessment, the Assessment Committee may include further material in their assessment of the applicant. In such circumstances, it is the responsibility of the applicant, on request, to send the material to the Committee.

Following processing of the application, any application material sent will be destroyed.

Receipt of the application will not be acknowledged, but the applicant will be kept continuously informed of the progress of the application.

The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation Executive Order no 92 of 22. February 2008.

 

The application, marked 625/05002-98 should be sent to The Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, where it must be received no later than 26 July 2008 at 12.00 noon. Applications received after the closing date for applications will not be considered.

 

Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility Group www.ijv.life.ku.dk/faggr/plantandsoil

Department of Agricultural Sciences

Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen