Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine PhD Scholarship

Two funded PhD opportunities are available in Farm Safety, Health and Welfare at University College Dublin through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The project, Safer by Design, is a four-year multidisciplinary collaboration with Teagasc and Animal Health Ireland, focused on improving farm safety communication and supporting behaviour change in real farm settings.

The two PhD projects are complementary: PhD A: Understanding Advisors examines how agricultural advisors navigate safety conversations with farmers, including behavioural change interventions, communication, professional norms, organisational culture, and advisor identity. PhD B: Understanding Farmers investigates how farm design, infrastructure, and equipment choices shape injury risk and how behavioural, economic, and cultural factors influence adoption of farm safety practices.

Relevant study areas include agriculture, behavioural science, psychology, sociology, geography, human factors, and related fields. The post highlights the use of frameworks such as COM-B and the Transtheoretical Model, plus qualitative and quantitative methods, literature review, fieldwork, and policy-oriented research.

Funding includes a stipend of €25,000 per year plus €6,000 per year towards fees for 4 years. Applicants must have a strong primary degree or an MSc in a relevant discipline, be highly self-motivated, and be prepared for fieldwork, data analysis, reporting, and publication. Fluent English and a full EU driving licence are essential.

The closing date is 27 May 2026 at 5:00 pm. Applicants should complete the online application form and include a CV and short statement of motivation.