Zero Net Emissions Agriculture CRC Scholarship

Applications are open for a PhD scholarship at The University of Western Australia in a highly applied project on feed efficiency and methane reduction in sheep systems. The project is aligned with the Zero Net Emissions Agriculture CRC and is based at the Katanning Research Facility in Western Australia.

The research will contribute to a national effort to develop new breeding values for methane emissions and feed intake in sheep. The successful candidate will work with large-scale animal measurements, genotyped animals, automated feed intake systems, and methane measurement technologies such as Portable Accumulation Chambers (PACs). The project is designed to produce outcomes that are directly relevant to sheep producers, breeders, and industry partners.

Research interests include animal science, livestock production, animal genetics, methane mitigation, feed efficiency, and practical measurement approaches for on-farm decision-making. The project aims to understand how methane emissions and feed intake relate to productivity, animal biology, nutrient utilisation, and management factors such as water quality and source.

Funding: This is a stipend scholarship with a value of AUD $38,110 per year for 3.5 years (indexed).

Eligibility highlights: Applicants must meet UWA PhD admission requirements, have a completed or near-completion Honours or Master degree in animal nutrition, livestock production, animal genetics, or a similar field, and be fluent in English. Familiarity with Australian livestock farming systems is essential. The opportunity is for domestic applicants only, and the student must be willing to live and work full-time at or near Katanning.

Application window: Opened 07 May 2026 and closes 31 May 2026.

How to apply: Use the UWA scholarship application portal, then contact the lead WA DPIRD researcher, Beth Paganoni, with your CV, academic transcripts, and confirmation of domestic status and willingness to be based near Katanning.