UP TO TWO POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW POSITIONS AT THE ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE DEPARTMENT
The ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (www.eratosthenes.org.cy), an autonomous Centre of Cyprus University of Technology (www.cut.ac.cy) invites applications for up to two (2) positions at the Post-Doctoral Research Fellow level at the Environment & Climate Research Department. The position is open either on a full-time (100%) or part-time employment basis.
The successful candidate specializing in any of the following disciplines or a closely related field: Agricultural Sciences, Agronomy, Chemistry, Plant/Crop Science, or Plant Pathology/Entomology will work within the Agriculture cluster of the Environment & Climate Research Department. The appointed researcher will contribute to multiple European Union–funded, national, and industry-funded projects, including the flagship EXCELSIOR H2020 Teaming Project (https://excelsior2020.eu/), as well as DIGIFARM, NOSTRADAMUS, CERBERUS, and CARBONICA.
ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence is an autonomous Centre of Excellence with Cyprus University of Technology as its sole stakeholder, specialising in earth observation, space technology and geospatial analysis. Cyprus University of Technology has a 16-year experience in earth observations and geospatial analysis. Through the ‘EXCELSIOR’ H2020 Teaming Project (https://excelsior2020.eu/), ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence aspires to become a Digital Innovation Hub for Earth Observation and Geospatial Information by offering knowledge, responsible research, open innovation and application services capable of sustaining Cyprus’ development. ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence aspires to actively contribute to the European Research Area (ERA) priorities in Atmosphere and Climate, Resilient Societies and Big Earth Data Analytics, as well as to become the reference Earth Observation/Geoinformation Centre for research and innovation in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA) region.
A core activity of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence is to conduct high caliber, state-of-the-art research, both basic and applied. A central task is to acquire research funding for the Centre, to provide facilities to the researchers, and to support them to acquire funding for their research independently and via international and local collaborations. Collaborations with industrial partners are particularly encouraged and facilitated.
The position is linked to multiple European, national, and industry-funded projects, including DIGIFARM, NOSTRADAMUS, CERBERUS, and CARBONICA.
DIGIFARM (ERASMUS+) aims to create an innovative and interactive training program that will enable agricultural advisors to leverage digital tools, applications, data and technologies to provide effective consultancy services to farmers and promote a more efficient and sustainable agriculture sector. The project focuses on developing skills in areas such as environment, business, social, and digital transition to support the shift towards a more sustainable, productive, and digitally advanced agrisector.
NOSTRADAMUS aims to transform the agricultural sector, and beyond, through informed decision-making and policy shaping. The project will design, develop, and evaluate a scalable and robust platform for the online and real-time harvesting of valuable information from diverse data sources to support various agricultural applications. Nostradamus will establish an automated pipeline for data acquisition, storage, and pre-processing. Five Data Cubes will integrate satellite datasets and employ near-real-time server-side algorithms for time-series analysis and the generation of value-added geospatial maps. To enhance the sustainability performance and competitiveness of the agricultural sector through a multi-actor approach, Nostradamus will develop multiple open-source digital applications, which will utilize both edge and cloud solutions, as well as hybrid combinations, harnessing the potential of Internet of Things and Earth Observation data, ensuring the effective exploitation of such applications even in areas with weak connectivity.
CERBERUS: will capitalize on early detection to reduce pesticide use and on intelligent spray applications to sustainably eradicate pests at their early stages, when damage is reduced, and the impact of treatments is high even with low spray rates. Data coming from multiple sources (satellite, IoT, robot, crowdsourcing) will be merged through a cloud platform, which will produce risk maps and spraying recommendations for users by applying AI algorithms. CERBERUS will be validated for three quarantine pests (F. dorée, X. fastidiosa, B. dorsalis) and three commonly managed pests (L. botrana, B. oleae, C. capitata), and for the three most important specialty crops in the Mediterranean basin: wine production vineyards, olive oil producing orchards, and citrus plantations. Italy, Cyprus and Spain, providing two pilot plots per country and target crop.
CARBONICA aims to introduce Carbon Farming techniques in the widening countries of Greece, North Macedonia and Cyprus. To achieve this overarching goal, the Carbonica Excellence Hub will be established, aiming to connect and strengthen the innovation ecosystems of the three Countries by streamlining the R&I between them to bolster the adoption of CFA, by coming up with new business models for the agrofood industry that would take into account carbon sequestration, by bringing together policy makers and civil society, all the while fostering the reduction of their carbon footprint (https://carbonica-hub.eu/).
Description of the Positions:
The Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to join our team specializing in any of the following disciplines: Agricultural Sciences, Agronomy, Chemistry, Plant/Crop Science, or Plant Pathology/Entomology. The primary focus will be on assessing agricultural sustainability with emphasis on carbon farming, sustainable agricultural practices and precision agricultural and digital farming technologies. The role combines fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and data interpretation, as well as participation in dissemination, training, and educational activities within EU-funded research projects.
Duties and Responsibilities
The successful candidate will be expected to contribute towards shaping and advancing its research and innovation agenda by:
- Conducting research on the evaluation of sustainable agricultural practices and carbon farming practices;
- Conduct regular field measurements in pilot sites, such as the Achelia experimental station and any other location in Cyprus;
- Operate and maintain filed equipment such as sensors and analytical instruments;
- Apply laboratory techniques to measure the organic carbon content of soils subject to different treatments;
- Use standardized rating scales and sampling methods to ensure accurate and consistent measurements;
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to integrate remote sensing data with field observations and other datasets;
- Publish research findings in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and present results at scientific conferences;
- Contribute to European Union project deliverables, milestones, and reporting obligations;
- Assist in the preparation of grant proposals to secure funding for future research projects;
- Provide technical expertise and support to internal and external stakeholders, including training and capacity-building activities;
- Contribute to the documentation and dissemination of findings, including scientific project proposals, reports, result presentations, and scientific publications;
- Travel to present research findings at scientific conferences or to support research projects/activities of the Agriculture cluster;
- Any other relevant duties deemed useful and necessary.
Qualifications
- PhD degree in any of the following subjects or a closely related field: Agricultural Sciences, Agronomy, Chemistry, Plant/Crop Science, or Plant Pathology/Entomology or a closely related field;
- Willingness to work outdoors in variable weather conditions;
- Valid driver’s license for travel between field sites is required;
- Previous experience in lab analysis is considered an advantage;
- Knowledge in programming languages such as Python, R, or MATLAB, and experience in handling large datasets is considered an advantage;
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills;
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively within a research team;
- Effective communication skills, with the ability to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and convey technical information to diverse audiences;
- Experience in the preparation of scientific project proposals is considered an advantage;
- Experience with basics statistical analysis or data visualization;
- Experience in EU funded project management and coordination is considered an advantage;
- Excellent command of English is mandatory while knowledge of Greek or any other relevant language necessary for the position is considered an advantage.
Minimum Requirements for the post of Post-Doctoral Research Fellow:
The minimum requirement for the position of Post-Doctoral Research Fellow is a doctoral degree from a recognized university.
The appointment will be for a period of one year (12 months) with the prospect of renewal for another one year. The annual gross salary for the (full-time) positions will range from €36732.10 to €52908.42, depending on qualifications.
It is noted that there is provision for 13th salary (the cost of the 13th salary is proportionally incorporated in the monthly remuneration).
Interested candidates must submit their application comprising of all documents listed below not later than 31 March 2026 at 14.00 CYPRUS TIME, which is the deadline for the submission of the applications.
• A cover letter in English clearly specifying availability date;
• Scanned or electronic copies of degree certificates and relevant qualifications. True copies of the originals will be requested for the shortlisted candidates;
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae in English (including contact details);
• The shortlisted candidates may be asked to submit Letters of Reference by three referees.
* Please combine all necessary documents in one PDF file and then upload them to the "Resume" section.
Apply here: https://eratosthenes.peopleforce.io/careers/v/189714-post-doctoral-research-fellow-in-agricultural-sustainability-in-environment-and-climate-department
