PhD in AI & Sustainable Agri-Food Systems (UKRI SUSTAIN)

Contexte

Applications are open for the UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training (SUSTAIN) PhD programme, offering a fully funded four-year doctoral opportunity for researchers interested in artificial intelligence, sustainable agriculture, food systems, and climate resilience. The programme is designed to combine advanced AI research with real-world challenges affecting agriculture, food production, environmental sustainability, and food security.

The programme is available for October 2027 entry and involves research across several UK universities, including the University of Lincoln, University of Aberdeen, Queen’s University Belfast, and University of Strathclyde. Several projects also involve external research organisations and industry partners.

SUSTAIN is a UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training focused on applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to challenges within sustainable agriculture and agri-food systems.

Missions et responsabilités

• Develop advanced technical and analytical skills while working on research questions connected to areas such as soil health, livestock sustainability, crop monitoring, supply chains, carbon farming, climate adaptation, and animal and plant health.
• Apply AI to practical environmental and agricultural problems through a multidisciplinary structure suitable for STEM and related disciplines.
• Conduct research within specific available PhD projects, which include: Animal and Plant Health Diagnostics Under Climate Change (Q2125), AI for Sustainable Livestock Assessment (Q3452), AI for Antifungal Resistance Prediction (Q3139), Federated Learning for Sustainable Livestock Systems (Q3135), AI for Sustainable Agri-Food Supply Chains (A2227), Radar and Optical AI for Crop Production (S4155), ETHIO SENSE (A4156), AI-Enabled Carbon Farming (A4154), and AI-Based Pest Detection (L4153).

Profil recherché

• Applicants should normally hold a minimum 2:1 Bachelor’s degree, or a Master’s degree with Merit.
• Relevant academic backgrounds may include: Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Data Science, Biotechnology, Agriculture, Food Science, Environmental Science, Engineering, Sustainability, or other related STEM disciplines.
• Previous professional or academic experience in agriculture or the agri-food sector is not required, meaning applicants with strong AI, computing, data, engineering, or related backgrounds may also be considered.
• Note: AI-Based Pest Detection (L4153) is listed as Home Students Only. Eligibility conditions can vary between research projects.

Conditions et avantages

• Full PhD tuition fees
• Tax-free doctoral stipend
• £3,000 per year Research Training Support Grant
• Advanced multidisciplinary training
• Access to research facilities and specialist expertise
• Academic supervision and research development opportunities
• Opportunities to work on real-world agricultural and sustainability challenges

Dossier de candidature

• Academic documents
• Demonstration of how skills and research interests align with the selected project

Comment postuler

Interested candidates should review the available SUSTAIN PhD projects and identify a research topic that matches their academic background and interests. Applicants should review the individual project requirements carefully because eligibility conditions can vary between research projects. Applications should be submitted through the relevant official university or programme application route before the stated deadline.

Deadline: 16 October 2026 at 12 noon UK time.