The successful candidate will work closely with Professor Paul Wilson, Professor of Agricultural Economics, and will undertake data extraction, analysis and modelling of on-farm practices from panel data drawing on the Farm Business Survey (FBS). The successful candidate will also interact and liaise with other researchers at different institutions and stakeholders involved in the project.

This role provides an exciting opportunity to work with experienced researchers and liaise with a wide range of stakeholders who are taking a leading role in shaping innovation and policies in their fields. The University of Nottingham also offers a wide range of training and opportunities to researchers at all career levels.

We are looking for a highly motivated researcher, with the relevant knowledge of quantitative data analysis methodologies and approaches and with a passion for translating research findings into useful policy and practice related outcomes.

Candidates will have experience with quantitative data research collection / collation and analysis techniques, including data extraction and multivariate statistical analysis and modelling techniques. Having a good understanding of agriculture and land-use in the UK is also an essential criterion for the role. Candidates must also have knowledge or understanding of GDPR in the context of data analysis. A record of ability to write and publish research papers and a working knowledge of quantitative analysis software packages, ideally applied to farm business or practice data, are desirable requirements for candidates applying for this role.

Applicants must have (or be close to completion of) a PhD or equivalent in a relevant subject area.

The role will be based at the University of Nottingham in the School of Biosciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, but will involve occasional working with colleagues based at partner institutions across the UK.

This post is available on a fixed term basis for 18 months, hours of work are full time (36.25 hours). Job share arrangements may be considered.

Requests for secondment from internal candidates may be considered on the basis that prior agreement has been sought from both your current line manager and the manager of your substantive post, if you are already undertaking a secondment role. Informal enquiries may be addressed to Paul Wilson, email paul.wilson@nottingham.ac.uk Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

Closing Date: 01 Sep 2026
Category: Research and Teaching (R&T)

Supervisor: Dr Hannah Cooper (UoN)

Secondary Supervisor: Dr Nicholas Girkin (UoN), Dr Georgina Barratt (BBRO)

Subject Area: Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Resilience

Research Title: Nutrient Dynamics in Cover Crops and Their Implications for Sugar Beet Nutrition, Soil Health, and Climate Resilience

Research Description

The Opportunity

The UK sugar beet industry spends £12–18 million annually on nitrogen fertiliser alone, yet in some instances it has been shown that cover crops can provide 30–60 kg N/ha to the following sugar beet crop. Cover crops are often used ahead of sugar beet, but a lack of evidence about the nitrogen they provide and the factors that affect it means very few growers adapt their nitrogen application rates after using a cover crop, potentially missing out on savings of £30-70 ha. Some species immobilise nitrogen and suppress beet growth; others create a "green bridge" for virus-carrying aphids during the critical establishment period. This PhD will deliver the first evidence-based framework for integrating cover crops profitably into UK sugar beet rotations, with the potential to unlock £3–7 million per year in industry-wide fertiliser savings. Funded jointly by BBRO, the Morley Agricultural Foundation, and the Lugden Hill Trust, this is an applied, industry-facing project: you will work closely with BBRO and the grower community throughout, ensuring research questions are grounded in real farming challenges and that outputs reach the people who need them.

What You Will Do

Working across agronomy, soil science, and microbial ecology, you will:

• Run controlled decomposition experiments to quantify N, P, and K release from key cover crop species (cereals, brassicas, legumes, and mixtures) under UK conditions.
• Establish multi-year field trials on contrasting soils at commercial BBRO sites and the University of Nottingham farm, measuring beet yield, sugar content, and pest/disease incidence.
• Analyse soil microbial communities (PLFA, 16S/ITS sequencing) to understand how residues drive nutrient cycling and soil health.
• Parameterise predictive models and translate outputs into practical grower tools, including a fertiliser credit calculator and species selection guide.

Training

You will be based at the University of Nottingham's Sutton Bonington Campus, with access to world-class facilities including the Hounsfield X-ray CT Facility for root architecture studies and advanced soil and plant analytical capabilities. You will receive expert supervision at the interface of agronomy, soil science, and sugar beet production, with hands-on industry experience through BBRO field trials, open days, and grower engagement events. The project will train a researcher with specialist skills in nutrient cycling, microbial community profiling, and crop modelling, a combination in high demand across UK agricultural research and advisory sectors.

Keyword Search: Cover crops, sugar beet, nutrient cycling, climate resilience, soil health, agronomy

Award Start Date: 01/02/2027

Duration of Award: 48 months

Terms and Conditions

This research studentship is only available to UK citizens and includes payment of tuition fees and a tax-free stipend based on current BBSRC rates.

Applicant Qualification Requirements

A 2:1 or higher in environmental science / agriculture / plant science or related degree. Modelling experience is a bonus but not essential.

How to Apply

Please email a one page cover letter and a CV to hannah.cooper@nottingham.ac.uk

Closing Date: 30/09/2026

Closing Date: 30 Sep 2026
Category: Studentships

Supervisor: Prof Rumiana Ray (University of Nottingham)

Secondary Supervisor: Dr Hadrien Peyret (University of Nottingham), Dr Dong-Hyun Kim (University of Nottingham), Prof Toby Bruce (Keele University)

Subject Area: Plant Health, Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Resilience

Research Title: Hidden Pest-Pathogen Alliances: Unravelling the Mechanisms of Aphid-Fungal Cooperation on Wheat

Research Description

Wheat underpins global food security, providing a major source of calories for both human consumption and animal feed. However, crop productivity is increasingly threatened by plant diseases, insect pests, climate change, and growing pressure to reduce chemical inputs. Understanding how multiple biological threats interact within crops represents one of the major challenges facing sustainable agriculture.
 

Plant pathogens and insect herbivores are typically studied in isolation, despite sharing the same host and frequently occurring together in agricultural systems. Emerging evidence suggests that interactions between pests and pathogens can profoundly alter plant health, disease development, and crop productivity. However, the ecological and molecular mechanisms underpinning these interactions remain poorly understood.
 

This fully funded PhD studentship, supported by leading UK agricultural charities, will investigate interactions between the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum, the causal agent of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), and the English grain aphid (Sitobion avenae), one of the most economically important pests of cereal crops. FHB causes substantial losses through yield reduction and contamination of grain with harmful mycotoxins, while aphids impact crop performance through direct feeding damage and modification of plant physiological responses.
 
The project will investigate how fungal infection influences aphid behaviour, how aphids modify disease development, and how wheat responds to simultaneous attack by pests and pathogens. Combining plant pathology, chemical ecology, molecular biology, metabolomics, transcriptomics, bioinformatics, and systems biology, the research will uncover the mechanisms governing interactions within the wheat–aphid–fungus system and identify new opportunities for sustainable crop protection.
 
The student will receive advanced interdisciplinary training in behavioural ecology, fungal biology, analytical chemistry, mass spectrometry, multi-omics data integration, disease epidemiology, and molecular plant-microbe-insect interactions. Research will utilise world-leading facilities at the University of Nottingham, including advanced metabolomics, genomics, controlled-environment facilities, and bioinformatics infrastructure, alongside specialist chemical ecology facilities at Keele University.
 
The supervisory team comprises internationally recognised researchers in plant pathology, insect chemical ecology, analytical bioscience, biotechnology, and bioinformatics. The project offers opportunities to engage with breeders, agronomists, industry partners, and the wider agricultural sector, providing excellent preparation for careers in academia, biotechnology, crop protection, plant breeding, and agri-food innovation.

Keyword Search
 Plant Pathology, Entomology, Chemical Ecology, Molecular Biology, Multi-omics, Systems Biology, Crop Protection, Wheat, Fusarium, Aphids, Sustainable Agriculture, Food Security, Climate Change

Award Start Date: 01/10/2026

Duration of Award: 48 months

Terms and Conditions

This research studentship is only available to UK citizens and includes payment of tuition fees and a tax-free stipend based on current BBSRC rates.

Applicant Qualification Requirements

1st, 2:1 or MSc degree in Plant science, Agriculture, Microbiology, Ecology, Biotechnology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Molecular biology, or related biological sciences

How to Apply

To apply, please submit a CV and a brief statement (maximum two pages) outlining your academic background, research interests, relevant experience, and motivation for undertaking this PhD project to Prof Rumiana Ray - rumiana.ray@nottingham.ac.uk
 
Informal Enquiries by prospective applicants are encouraged. Please contact Prof Rumiana Ray for an informal discussion: Email: rumiana.ray@nottingham.ac.uk. When making an enquiry, please attach a current CV and include a brief summary of your research interests and academic background.

Closing Date: 31/08/2026

Closing Date: 31 Aug 2026
Category: Studentships