PhD Studentship
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Position: PhD Student
Location: AgResearch Invermay, Mosgiel and Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand
Scholarship: Annual Stipend - $39,000, tuition fees
Please note that AgResearch is unable to provide support for relocation and visa activities.
At AgResearch, our purpose is to use science to enhance the value, productivity, and profitability of Aotearoa New Zealand’s pastoral, agri-food, and Agri-Technology sector value chains to contribute to economic growth and beneficial environmental and social outcomes for New Zealand. We are committed to evaluating science and the Mātauranga Māori knowledge system as having equal potential value, and that they will help support building positive changes into farming practices and food production in New Zealand.
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The Role and Opportunity
Swimming in our rivers is an important cultural activity in New Zealand. Water quality standards to determine the safety of swimming waters is based on the concentrations of Escherichia coli in the water. The NZ E. coli water quality standards are complicated and include both a median and a 95th percentile targets. Many swimming sites around NZ fail the water quality standards because the 95th percentile is too high. It is generally understood that E. coli concentrations in a river increase during high flow or flood events. But because people don’t swim when rivers are in flood, we could either; not sample during flood conditions, or use a discounting method that ignores a high concentration value when calculating the water quality metrics if it can be shown that it was caused by a flood event. However, a correlation analysis between E. coli concentrations and flow in a water quality monitoring datasets typically shows a very poor relationship, indicating that this is not a simple linear relationship. Reasons for this are likely to be that water quality monitoring datasets only collect a single sample a month and therefore, are unlikely to contain many samples collected at high flows (floods) and/or the flow effect could be relative to prior conditions in the river at the time of collection.
This PhD programme would involve a detailed analysis of the relationship between E. coli concentrations and flow rates drawing on large water quality monitoring datasets from across NZ as well as research data collected at high frequency during flood conditions.
The PhD project team includes Associate Professor Matthew Schofield from Otago University, and Dr Richard Muirhead from AgResearch.
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What you will be doing
The PhD programme will be an opportunity for you to build on your scientific interests, developing and applying research skills including forming research questions, analysing data, and writing and interpretation of key findings. Applying statistical methods to analysis of water quality datasets. This role has the opportunity to spend time at Otago University as well as the AgResearch Invermay campus to learn about the different research environments.
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Preferred candidate qualification, skills, and experience
- A postgraduate statistics degree that includes a thesis or dissertation.
- An interest in water quality and river hydrology
- Strong communication skills, especially writing.
- Effective interpersonal and critical thinking skills.
- Demonstrated capacity for collaborative work.
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How to apply
If you are interested in applying, please click on the link, which will allow you to upload a Cover Letter and CV. In your one-page (maximum) Cover Letter, please outline the following:
- Your motivation in applying.
- Why you feel you are a good fit for the role.
- What specific experience and skills you will bring to the role.
- Any other elements you would like us to consider in your application.
For further information regarding your application please contact Richard Muirhead at richard.muirhead@agresearch.co.nz.
Applications close: Sunday, 2nd March 2025.
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