Achim Schmalenberger

New PhD opportunity at the University of Limerick, Ireland in Soil Health, Biodiversity and Function in Agrivoltaic Sheep Farming Systems . This is a fully funded 4-year PhD with a stipend of €31,000 per annum (inclusive of university fees). The project examines how sheep grazing and solar PV infrastructure affect soil health , biodiversity , and ecosystem functioning in agrivoltaic systems. Research themes include: - nutrient dynamics and heavy metal concentrations in soils, vegetation, and groundwater - soil physical and chemical properties beneath and between solar panel rows - soil biological communities, including bacteria, fungi, protists, nematodes, and earthworms - microbial functional potential linked to carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulphur cycling - soil CO2 and methane fluxes in grazing-based agrivoltaic systems The successful candidate will be based at the University of Limerick , with collaborations and secondment opportunities at University College Cork and fieldwork at commercial-scale research sites. Application deadline: 19 October 2026, 17:00 Irish time. Full application details are available via the Euraxess link.