2 PhD Studentship – CETUS project

Marine renewable energy (MRE) will undergo a rapid expansion in Ireland over the next 30 years with fixed wind turbines in depths of less than 50 m the most likely technology to meet short to medium-term energy goals. Irish maritime waters are home to a rich diversity of megafauna (e.g., cetaceans, seabirds, and elasmobranchs) including populations of international importance.  Given the potential scale of developments, there is a need to understand impacts on sensitive marine species since uncertainty around MRE impacts on populations is likely to be a major impediment to consenting of offshore wind developments.  The CETUS project will collate data pertaining to megafauna and the wider foodweb from national institutes and agencies, into a database to support a comprehensive multi-species modelling approach to determine the environmental drivers of distributions, behaviours, and movement patterns (e.g., foraging hotspots, common migration patterns) of sensitive species and determine spatial and temporal overlap with existing and planned MRE installations. CETUS will also conduct targeted biotelemetry studies using satellite tagging equipment (elasmobranchs and seabirds), acoustic tagging equipment (elasmobranchs) and passive acoustic recorders (cetaceans) to close the identified knowledge gaps on selected at risk species.

The two PhD positions (and a senior post-doctoral researcher) will work in tandem and represents an exciting opportunity to work within a diverse team investigating MRE impacts across elasmobranchs, cetaceans and seabirds, working closely with recognised experts in the field. While each position has a specific focus, there will be an expectation to assist with work across other taxa, learning from experienced scientists and developing multidisciplinary research skills and independence. The successful candidates will be expected to plan and carry out extensive fieldwork, and collaborate with a diverse group of stakeholders including academics, state agencies and the renewable energy industry.

The PhD on seabirds will gather biotelemetry data on the habitat use, foraging cues, and behaviour of seabirds in relation to existing and planned windfarm sites. This will be combined with data on the distribution and abundance of seabirds from at-sea surveys to fill knowledge gaps and inform appropriate siting of developments. Particular emphasis will be placed on species identified as having greatest risk of collision with offshore wind turbines. Applicants must have a good primary degree in an appropriate discipline. An MSc in Marine Biology or equivalent would be preferable, though not essential. Applicants will also need to satisfy the University’s requirements regarding English language ability.

Essential criteria

• 1st or 2:1 BSc in appropriate discipline (e.g., Zoology, Ecology, Marine Biology)
• Experience with handling birds, preferably seabirds
• Ability to work in a team
• Excellent communication skills in both written and oral format
• Full driving license
• Must be comfortable in fieldwork conditions including accommodation in tents and use of small boats

Desirable skills

• BTO ‘C’ ringing permit
• MSc in a related discipline
• Experience of ecological and statistical modelling in R
• Experience piloting small boats
• BE category driver’s license

Irish waters support a large number of cetacean species, some with a coastal or inshore distribution, possibly year round, whereas others species may only occur at specific times of the year.  While there are a number of ways to monitor cetaceans, acoustic monitoring can provide valuable information on habitat use and occupancy rates on a year round basis. This PhD will analyse acoustic data gathered from a number of different monitoring devices to examine the distribution and occurrence of a range of cetacean species in relation to existing and planned windfarm sites. This will be combined with data on the distribution and abundance of cetaceans from at-sea surveys to fill knowledge gaps and inform appropriate siting of developments. Applicants must have a good primary degree in an appropriate discipline. An MSc in Marine Biology or equivalent would be preferable, though not essential. Applicants will also need to satisfy the University’s requirements regarding English language ability.

Essential criteria 

• 1st or 2:1 BSc in appropriate discipline (e.g., Zoology, Ecology, Marine Biology) 
• Experience with cetacean acoustic data analysis
• Ability to work in a team 
• Excellent communication skills in both written and oral format 
• Full driving license 
• Must be comfortable in fieldwork conditions including the use of small boats  

Desirable skills

• MSc in a related discipline
• Experience piloting small boats
• BE category driver’s license

• Experience of ecological and statistical modelling in R

All positions will be based between the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), University College Cork, and the MaREI Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork. Positions will start on April 1^st, 2022, or as soon as possible thereafter, with interviews held early in 2022.

PhD scholarships will cover EU fees of €5,900 and a tax-free stipend of €18,500 per annum for a period of four years. UK applicants will be granted EU fee status due to the Common Travel Area with Ireland. Non-EU international students are required to make up the fee deficit (currently approx. €10,000 p.a.), however, a waiver may be applied under certain circumstances. As part of a 4-year structured PhD at UCC, the successful applicant will also be required to undertake 20 credits of postgraduate modules aimed at providing a range of transferable skills (e.g., project management, scientific writing, outreach & communication, and data analysis).

The School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science (BEES) is one of the largest and most active academic units within the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science (SEFS) at University College Cork (UCC). It has a long history of teaching and research through its cognate disciplines of Zoology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Geoscience, and Plant Science. This history stretches back to the establishment of Natural Sciences, Geology, and Agriculture at the inception of our university in 1849 and soon thereafter. The school has over 70 postgraduate researchers (PhD, MSc and MRes) as well as 29 Academic Staff, 5 Administrative Staff and 11 Technical Staff. The school is research active, being one of the most successful Schools in UCC in terms of numbers of PhDs graduated and research grant income captured, resulting in productive research of international quality. BEES has been awarded 4 ERC awards and publishes in the top international journals including Nature and Science.

MaREI is a key research centre within UCC’s Environmental Research Institute (ERI), dedicated to the understanding and protection of our natural environment, and developing innovative technologies, tools, and services to facilitate a transformation to a zero carbon and resource efficient society. MaREI’s strengths lie in the multi-disciplinary nature of its research teams and close engagement with over 50 industry partners, allowing it to combine insights across areas such as MRE Technologies, Materials & Structures, Observations & Operations, Coastal & Marine Systems, Bioenergy, Energy Policy & Modelling and Renewable Energy Management. It combines expertise across a wide range of research groups and industry partners, with the shared mission of solving the main scientific, technical, and socio-economic challenges across the climate, energy, and marine spaces.  Researchers in the MaREI Centre have over 30 years of experience in conducting fundamental and applied research supported by competitively won national and international funding, and commercial contracts with government agencies and industry, accumulating research funding of approximately €60m.

Seabird PhD: Dr Mark Jessopp. e-mail: ei.ccu@ppossej.m

Cetacean PhD: Prof. Emer Rogan. E-mail ei.ccu@nagor.e

General questions about the CETUS project: Dr Thomas K. Doyle. Email ei.ccu@elyod.t

Submit an electronic copy of Curriculum Vitae including contact details of two referees and a one-page letter of interest to: ei.ccu@hcnyl.enniarG quoting either ‘CETUS Seabird PhD’ or ‘CETUS cetacean PhD’ in the email subject line.

Submission deadline: 11 March 2022.

Please note that the successful candidate will have to meet all UCC requirements.