2 fully-funded marine geoscience PhDs, UCC

2 fully-funded PhD positions. A stipend of €25,000 pa with EU Fee's covered. To be part of a larger team with a start date of October 1st, 2025.

To apply, send a CV and 2 page cover letter outlining which PhD you are applying for, your suitability for that specific PhD and how this aligns with your longer term career plan. Send applications to the Dr Arron Lim of the Earth and Ocean lab (UCC) via email by 5 pm (Irish local) on Friday, 18th of July.

PhD Student 1 – Marine Geoscience

Duration: 4 years

Role Summary:PhD1 will focus on developing and validating methods for mapping sediment transport and seabed dynamics using UAVs, AUVs, and ADCPs. Their work will contribute to understanding sediment movement and bedform evolution in shallow marine environments in support of offshore windfarm development especially in areas of cable routes.

Key Responsibilities:

• UAV- coupled with AUV- derived bathymetry 

• UAV-based sediment plume mapping – mapping sediment plumes with the drones and ADCP

• Coupled SSS and photogrammetry for seabed classification – RGB image data to infil the SSS nadir and groundtruth/train the SSS

• Integration of UAV and ADCP data

• Development of a shallow water bedform velocity matrix

Expected Skills:

• BSc or MSc in marine (geo)science, sedimentology, or physical geography

  • Interest in fieldwork, remote sensing, and seabed mapping

  • Willingness to learn data processing and GIS tools, do fieldwork

PhD Student 2 – GIS/Geomatics Focus

Duration: 4 years

Role Summary:PhD2 will lead the development of tools for processing and classifying magnetometry data, and optimize offshore survey strategies using geostatistical and machine learning methods.

Key Responsibilities:

• Magnetometry data processing, classification, GUI development, and national map creation

• Bathymetric shelf life mapping (what is the shelf life of INFOMARs repository considering date of mapping and seafloor variability) – thus, where is now outdated

• Optimized survey design – IHO require 100% coverage for 1a order, but how much is actually required to achieve 95% confidence for site characterization? What is the best survey approach using AUVs?

• Application of developed tools to South Coast DMAP – apply survey design and mag strategy to the SC DMAP with the AUV

Expected Skills:

• Background in GIS, geomatics, geophysics, or computer science

• Programming experience, desirable

• Interest in marine data, machine learning, and software development