We are currently seeking a PhD Candidate to join our Efficient Use of Water in Agriculture Program team located in Lleida, offering a great opportunity to work in a dynamic and collaborative environment within our organization.

We invite applications from motivated candidates with passion and a strong interest in conducting research and innovation activities on the project titled: “Optimizing canopy management in warm-climate vineyards to enhance grape yield and quality under changing climatic conditions”.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

The incumbent will perform a wide range of duties including the experimental planning, set-up and execution (data acquisition, processing, and analysis) of laboratory and field experiments related to tree water relations, ecophysiology, irrigation and orchard management.

Among others, the responsibilities of the incumbent will include:

• Monitoring plant, soil and atmosphere water status throughout the season under different edaphoclimatic conditions on the field.
• Sample processing in the lab.
• Data compilation and management, including big datasets.
• Data analysis, including statistical analysis and modelling.
• Scientific literature search, review and metadata analysis.
• Writing scientific papers and reports (state hypothesis, detail how you tested your hypothesis, express and critically discuss the data collected and the implication of your findings).
• Participating and preparing scientific and extension material for communication and dissemination activities (conferences, seminars, workshops, ...).

Required qualifications and experience

• Candidates must hold one of the following degrees:
       a) A Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Biology, Environmental Science, or similar;
       b) A Master’s in Agricultural Engineering, Horticulture, Plant Physiology, or similar.
       c) To be in a position to access a doctoral programme according to the requirements of Catalan universities, i.e. accrediting between 60 and 120 ECTS credits at the official university master's degree level or equivalent. Training…
• Not to have a previous PhD degree.
• Car driving license (preferred).
• Candidates who have been chosen for an interview with the Selection Committee, should bring or send –for the interview – a certified copy of the degree and/or master, as well as the academic record showing the marks of all subjects studied.
• Proficiency in English
• Strong teamwork skills, ability to adapt to multidisciplinary environments and a focus on professional growth and development.

Desirable requirements

• Previous experience in research projects dealing with tree water relations, irrigation, precision horticulture, plant science, environmental science and climate change.
• Field experience performing professional-level work with scientific or commercial research protocols.
• Previous scientific publications will be valued positively.
• Experience in ecophysiology, plant, soil and environment sampling methods.
• Knowledge of advanced statistics and R software language.
• Good communication skills, verbal and written.
• Catalan and Spanish are valued.

Advantages of joining our team:

• Supervisor/s: Dr.Victor Blanco Montoya
• Terms of appointment: 4 years
• Contract: The financial remuneration for the PhD Candidate contract will be €1,363.10/gross per month (19,083.40./gross per annum) and for the first and second years. For this third year, it will be €1,460.46/gross per month (€20,446.44/gross per annum) and for the fourth year it will be €1,825.58/gross per month (€25,558.12/gross per annum) which will be subject to the corresponding withholdings, pursuant to prevailing regulations, and to the collective employment agreement of IRTA. IRTA will also pay the fees of the doctoral school when receiving the enrolment. (1)
• 37.5 hour workweek, with Friday afternoons off
• Intensive work schedule from 15/06 to 15/09
• 22 vacation days
• 3 days of family & work conciliation
• 45 hours of personal days
• Flexible Schedule for a good work-life balance.
• Continuous training and professional growth opportunities.

Please know that if you are the chosen candidate and you are from a country which does not belong to the UE, IRTA’s People Department will support you to get the residence and working permits.

Instructions to Apply

If you wish to be considered for this position and believe you meet the requirements, please send your CV and motivation letter.

Equal treatment and opportunities are guaranteed for all candidates in the selection process, avoiding any stereotypes, attitudes, or obstacles based on gender, origin, age, ideology, or other potentially discriminatory conditions. Furthermore, commitments to the inclusion of vulnerable groups are considered, with priority given in the first round to disabled candidates.

Timings in the Recruitment Process

32 natural days: Publication and diffusion of the job advertisement on IRTA’s website and/or social media.

5 following working days: Distribution of the pre-selected CVs to the Recruitment Committee for their evaluation.

20 following working days: Interview and/or tests to the most suitable candidates based on the job position.

Start of contract: Fourth trimestre of 2025 (approximately)

⁽¹⁾ The financial remuneration of the PhD Candidate contract may not be less than 56% of the salary established for the category of Research Collaborator F of the Collective Agreement of the IRTA during the first two years, 60% in the third year and 75% in the fourth.