Ad Astra Fellow

The UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering is a dynamic, research-driven school with a clear focus on delivering excellent teaching programmes. The school has an acknowledged international track record of research achievement across major fields including Food and Bioprocess Engineering, Biosystems Analysis and Modelling, Agricultural and Environmental Technologies, Energy and Circular Bioeconomy, with Sustainability as a focal point. The school offers the professionally accredited ME in Biosystems and Food Engineering, the MSc Eng in Food Engineering and a range of Full time and Part time taught programmes in the Circular Bioeconomy. The school also offers 2-year dual degree MSc Programmes in Sustainability Engineering Leadership and the MSc Sustainable Food Systems through international and Erasmus Mundus partnerships. The school delivers undergraduate programmes in Sustainable systems engineering and Agri-systems technology and as well as a flexible learning for life platform.

The school now seeks to appoint an Assistant Professor of Artificial Intelligence in Food Engineering.

The purpose is to develop a programme of groundbreaking research and contribute inspirational teaching to advance the field of artificial intelligence in food engineering, embracing sensors, machine learning and digital manufacturing. The school has recognised research strengths in spectral imaging, sensor design and deployment, machine learning, as well as digital technologies for agriculture and food security. The school now wishes to appoint an assistant professor to complement and build on these strengths.

The appointee will seek opportunities to establish new and collaborative research programmes aligned with the research ambition and excellence of the school, which aim to provide solutions for sustainable food systems engineering and biological systems engineering for the circular bioeconomy through local, national and international engagement.

The appointee will advance emerging concepts in food manufacturing engineering through:

1. Deploying digital technologies and AI solutions in the food manufacturing sector in the context of the circular bioeconomy and innovations for carbon negative food production.
2. Multi-sensor data fusion to characterise and predict complex biological resources in food production and biorefineries.
3. AI optimised sustainable food production from side streams or waste.
4. Streamlining data collection and handling approaches.
5. Driving implementation, uptake and impact through explainable and interpretable models.
6. Engaging with societal, policy and industry stakeholders.

The appointee will be expected to enhance the school’s education streams across Undergraduate programmes in Sustainable systems Engineering, Taught Masters programmes in Food Engineering, Digital Technology for Sustainable Agriculture and ME Biosystems and Food Engineering, and within our learning for life platform integrating micro credentials, International sustainability summer school and professional reskilling programmes. This will require engaging with diverse student cohorts and integrating research into teaching for all levels. The appointee will enhance the reputation of the School and develop a record of outstanding research ambition and outputs. The successful candidate should hold an honours primary degree in Engineering and a PhD in Food Engineering or cognate discipline.

95 Lecturer/Asst Professor Above the Bar (7943) Salary Scale: €62,855 - €99,533 Per Annum

Appointment will be made on scale and in accordance with the Department of Finance guidelines.

Closing date: 12:00 noon (local Irish time) on the 21st February 2025.

Applications must be submitted by the closing date and time specified. Any applications which are still in progress at the closing time of 12:00 noon (Local Irish Time) on the specified closing date will be cancelled automatically by the system. UCD are unable to accept late applications.

Please note: the eRecruitment system only requests the names of two referees. The full list of 3 referees should be included in the text of your application.

UCD do not require assistance from Recruitment Agencies. Any CVs submitted by Recruitment Agencies will be returned.

Note: Hours of work for academic staff are those as prescribed under Public Service Agreements. For further information please follow the link; https://www.ucd.ie/hr/t4media/Academic%20Contract.pdf