진학프로석·박사 채용 접수 플랫폼

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for full-time funded PhD scholarship starting in October 2026, affiliated to the Ryan Institute at the University of Galway and Teagasc. 

University of Galway 

Located in the vibrant cultural city of Galway in the west of Ireland, the University of Galway has a distinguished reputation for teaching and research excellence  

For information on moving to Ireland please see www.euraxess.ie 

Detailed Project Description  

Mushroom production in Ireland supports approximately 3,500 jobs, valued at €158 million in 2024. The integration of automation technologies in the form of robotics (automated picking) and AI vision systems is being widely adopted to address labour shortages and rising production costs. Meanwhile, the commercial production of Agaricus bisporus (button mushrooms) is heavily dependent upon use of peat, which needs to be phased out to reduce degradation of peatlands. There is high potential for circular use of by-products to replace peat. These two shifts (technology adoption and peat replacement) represent major changes to mushroom production. There is a need to evaluate the competitiveness, sustainability and resilience of high-tech, low-peat models of mushroom farming. 

This project aims to support the transition towards technology adoption in the mushroom sector through an environmental, social and competitiveness assessment. The main tasks will be to develop models to assess life cycle cost, environmental and social impacts of mushroom production – underpinning expansion of the Agnav.ie platform to evaluate mushroom sector sustainability. The project will work closely with mushroom advisors, scientists, growers and technology developers, and will have relevance to policy makers, retailers, scientists and the broader mushroom industry.

The successful candidate will be jointly supervised by Dr Lael Walsh who leads the horticulture sustainability research programme at Teagasc, and Professor David Styles in the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences at University of Galway. The PhD candidate will be based at Teagasc Ashtown Food Research Centre for the duration of the 4-year PhD, with travel to University of Galway for coursework and academic engagement. Dr Galina Brychkova, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Professor Karyn Morrissey, J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics and Dr. Joy Clarke, Mushroom research programme at Teagasc will be co-supervisors.

The successful candidate will be a registered student in the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences at University of Galway, and affiliated with the University’s Ryan Institute, a world-class centre for sustainability research. Through a multi-disciplinary supervisory team and their research groups, the successful candidate will have access to the breadth of expertise necessary to apply state-of-the-art sustainability and resilience assessment. The student will have access to data, software and expertise needed to build a mushroom life cycle assessment (LCA) model, building on recent horticultural LCA templates. They can also available of postgraduate training and skills modules available across the College of Science and Engineering.     

The successful candidate will be based at Teagasc Ashtown Food Research Centre in Ashtown, Dublin 15, a national centre of research excellence for food, horticulture and applied agricultural research, for the four–year duration of the PhD. A key strength of this research environment is access to the commercial style mushroom production unit and state-of-the-art glasshouse facilities, and the opportunity to engage with leading scientists and advisors in food, horticulture and mushroom science. This PhD therefore represents an exciting opportunity to leverage leading academic, technical and industry expertise to generate new knowledge and impact.  

The Teagasc Walsh Scholars Programme provides a structured four-year training and development framework designed to support both academic excellence and long-term career readiness. Scholars develop advanced scientific and analytical expertise alongside transferable skills in communication, project management, and stakeholder engagement through expert-led training, workshops, and tailored professional development.

Opportunities are provided to present research at national and international conferences, supporting professional networking and active engagement with the wider research community. Dedicated final-year career supports focus on preparing scholars for impactful roles across research, industry, advisory services, and policy, in Ireland and internationally.

Through the Teagasc International Training Awards, scholars may undertake an international research placement of up to 12 weeks aligned with their PhD project. Outstanding achievement may also be recognised through the Walsh Scholars of the Year and Gold Medal Awards.

Candidate Profile and Eligibility 

Candidates should be able to demonstrate the following: 

•Hold a first or second class honours degree (2.1 equivalent) or a masters degree in environmental science, mushroom science, engineering, agriculture sustainability or a related and relevant discipline 

•Experience with life cycle assessment or systems modelling  

•A strong interest in the topic of mushroom automation or sustainability evaluation 

•Excellent written and verbal communication skills (in the language of English) 

•Capacity to work as part of a research team 

•Willingness to travel to mushroom farms, industry events and conferences 

•Hold a full, clean Irish or EU driving licence or a foreign driving licence from a recognised state as per National Driver Licence Service of Ireland guidelines (see: NDLS)  

Living allowance (Stipend): €25,000 per annum, [tax-exempt scholarship award] 

University fees: ​up to €6000 per annum (covered by scholarship) ​

Start date: 01.10.2026 (or soon after)

Academic Entry Requirements: First or good Second Class (2:1) primary degree or MSc in a related discipline (Science, Engineering, Agriculture)

To Apply for the Scholarship:  

Applicants should submit the following to Dr Lael Walsh ([email protected]) and Prof. David Styles ([email protected]) - with the subject line: “PhD Application – Walsh Scholars Reference: 2026041”. Required documents:  

• • CV (including two referees)   
• • 1–2 page personal statement outlining: Why you are interested in this project; Why you are a strong candidate for this PhD

Contact Name: Professor David Styles & Dr Lael Walsh

Contact Email:[email protected] 

Application Deadline: 24/07/2026 by 17:00 

Primary Supervisor name: David Styles