PhD on Assessing drought effects on grassland using IoT-enabled visual sensors

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INRAE presentation

The French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE) is a major player in research and innovation. It is a community of 12,000 people with 272 research, experimental research, and support units located in 18 regional centres throughout France. Internationally, INRAE is among the top research organisations in the agricultural and food sciences, plant and animal sciences, as well as in ecology and environmental science. It is the world’s leading research organisation specialising in agriculture, food and the environment. INRAE’s goal is to be a key player in the transitions necessary to address major global challenges. Faced with a growing world population, climate change, resource scarcity, and declining biodiversity, the Institute has a major role to play in building solutions and supporting the necessary acceleration of agricultural, food and environmental transitions.

Work environment, missions and activities

As part of the MSCA GreenField Data project (IoRT Data management and analysis for Sustainable Agriculture), fourteen doctoral theses will be funded on a variety of topics related to data for agroecology. This job offer concerns thesis N, entitled ‘Optimisation-simulation coupling for the GHG emission-based supervision and planning of a fleet of autonomous agricultural robots’. You will be based at the INRAE UREP (Research Unit on Grassland Ecosystems) in France and at the Poznan University of Technology in Poland. The duration of the stay will be 18 months in France and 18 months in Poland.

Grasslands cover 39% of Europe’s utilized agricultural area and store over 30% of the global stock of carbon, making them vital for climate regulation, biodiversity, and agricultural productivity. However, they are highly vulnerable to drought, with impacts on ecosystem health, carbon storage, and food production. This PhD project addresses the challenge by integrating Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled visual sensing technologies with advanced data analytics to detect and quantify drought effects on grasslands. IoT visual sensors, combined with machine learning, offer the possibility to monitor plant health and environmental conditions in near real-time, producing fine-grained spatial and temporal insights. These tools can identify early-warning signals of drought stress and provide actionable recommendations for adaptive management. In addition to its scientific contributions, this work aligns with EU strategic priorities, including the European Green Deal, the Digital EU Programme, and the Climate Adaptation Strategy. The project’s results will inform evidence-based policies, guide land managers in sustainable practices, and contribute to climate resilience in the agricultural sector—bridging the gap between digital innovation and ecological stewardship.

 

The aim of the thesis is to estimate the effects of droughts on grasslands through image analysis in field conditions

Objectives:

• investigate IoT-enabled visual sensors for monitoring and analysing drought effects on grassland ecosystems;

• deploy strategically sensors across areas with varying drought levels to capture high-resolution data on vegetation and environmental conditions;

• establish protocols for data acquisition (calibration, quality control, noise reduction);

• integrate IoT sensor data with historical datasets to address spatial and temporal variability (botanical composition, forage production and quality, weather data, soil humidity);

• apply machine learning to uncover patterns, develop health indicators, and forecast drought impacts;

• provide adaptive practices and early-warning systems to support land managers.

The successful candidate will benefit from the excellent scientific environment of the host laboratories, the expertise accumulated by the teams, and practical collaboration with other PhD students in the GreenField Data programme.

 

Further information: https://www.eu4greenfielddata.eu/phd-positions-application/list-of-phds (Réf M)

The PhD work will be carried out in two parts. For a year and a half, the successful candidate will work at the Joint Research Unit on Grassland Ecosystems in Clermont-Ferrand, France (a one-month stay at Sherpa and a one-month stay at SIDAM are planned). Then, until the end of the thesis, the successful candidate will work at the Poznan University of Technology in Poland (a one-month stay at WODR is planned).

It is essential to note that, due to the MSCA mobility rule, the person recruited must not have resided or had a main activity (studies, employment) in Poland for more than 12 months during the 36 months preceding recruitment.

Training and skills

Recommended training: 5 years of higher education in computer science or applied mathematics to environmental studies

Desired knowledge: programming (e.g. Python, C/C++), sensor technology (cameras), remote sensing data analysis, plant ecophysiology

Appreciated experience: academic background must be a strong fit for the PhD project, research internship in a laboratory or in industry

Skills: strong programming (e.g. Python, C++ or similar), data analytics, english language proficiency equivalent to C1 is required; scientific and academic excellence and interest in the doctoral project and collaboration within the GreenField Data project are essential

INRAE's life quality

By joining our teams, you benefit from (depending on the type of contract and its duration):

- up to 30 days of annual leave + 15 days "Reduction of Working Time" (for a full time);
- parenting support: CESU childcare, leisure services;
- skills development systems: training, career advise;
- social support: advice and listening, social assistance and loans;
- holiday and leisure services: holiday vouchers, accommodation at preferential rates;
- sports and cultural activities;
- collective catering.

about 3100 € gross salary per month complemented by a mobility allowance and a family allowance, adjusted by country

 

How to apply

Additional information: 

List of PhDs - Greenfielddata (Ref M)

4078216614.pdf

Application form: 

EUSurvey - Survey