PhD STUDENT GRANTED BY THE SPANISH STATE RESEARCH AGENCY

IRTA IS SEEKING A PhD STUDENT GRANTED BY THE SPANISH STATE RESEARCH AGENCY (AIE)

IRTA is interested in contracting a PhD student for its Centre of Cabrils (Barcelona) which is going to be granted by a Spanish State Research Agency.

Title of the project in which the pHD student will be involved

“Integrated Pest Management based on biological control in stored grain. (IPM-GRAIN)” project number RTI2018-095526-R-100

Concept and approach of the project

The project focuses on studying pest control strategies that may be a feasible alternative to the use of conventional pesticides in the stored food sector. The hypothesis is that native parasitoids present in food processing facilities can be effective control agents of pests attacking stored grain and of pests contaminating the facilities where the grain is processed. Molecular methods using universal arthropod primers can be an important step forward for detecting pest contamination in stored grain due to their efficiency and sensitivity.

General objectives of the project.

The main Objective is to implement an Integrated Pest Management program for stored product pests by developing ecologically sustainable strategies based on biological control with parasitoids and by improving pest detection methods for arthropod contamination. Specific objectives are I) Biological control of rice pests; II) Management of moth pests in food processing facilities; III) Molecular methods for arthropod assessment and sampling.

Duration

The duration of the PhD student contract will be of four (4) years.

Remuneration

The financial remuneration will be of €1,185.47/gross per month (€20,582.04/gross per annum) for the first and second year. For the third year the remuneration will be of €1,270.15/gross per month (€21,901.44/gross per annum) and for the last year will be of €1,587.69/gross per month (€27,375.60/gross per annum).

Requirements:

Candidate profile: A Graduate in Biology, Environmental Sciences or Agronomy who fulfils the requirements to enrol in a PhD program at one of the Universities of Barcelona (Spain).

We are looking for a person with a strong motivation on research in pest management in stored foods, with good theoretical and practical learning skills, able to think independently and to work in group. The research will be developed at the IRTA Centre at Cabrils (Barcelona). Any prior experience in research, laboratory work, molecular techniques, will be viewed positively.

Other requirements: High English level. Ready to travel.

Persons interested, please, contact by email to Dr. Cristina Castañé (cristina.castane@irta.cat), sending her/his CV together with a letter of presentation and including the medium note of his/her academic record. Scholarship call opens on the 17^th October until the 4^th November, 2019 :

https://sede.micinn.gob.es/ayudaspredoctorales/