Teagasc is currently recruiting for a permanent research officer who will work to support the commercial mushroom sector in Ireland.
The post will be based in the Horticulture Development Department (HDD) which is located on the Teagasc Ashtown campus in Dublin.
The department features a mushroom research facility with four environmentally controlled growing rooms, a modern research glasshouse facility together with additional research laboratory resources.
Research
Teagasc said that the successful candidate will lead a mushroom research programme, which should focus on supporting the growth and profitability of the Irish mushroom sector.
Areas of research activity will include one or a combination of identified critical areas for the sector:
- Mushroom pathology and integrated pest management;
- Mushroom agronomy, robotics and crop optimisation through data;
- New crop and new product development.
The research officer will be expected to interact with national and international research providing organisations, industry stakeholders and scientists from different disciplines.
The officer will conduct experiments, collect and analyse data, and interpret results to draw conclusions and recommendations.
They will also provide technical support and guidance to Teagasc teams and external partners on matters related to mushroom production research.
Mushroom sector
According to Teagasc, mushroom production is the largest horticultural crop in Ireland, making up approximately 24% of the estimated €529 million overall value of the sector.
The majority of Irish mushrooms are currently exported for retail in the United Kingdom.
Applicants for the positions must hold an honours Level 8 degree in science, biology, agriculture or a related discipline and a PhD degree in a relevant discipline.
While a PhD is an essential requirement for this post, equivalent research experience may be deemed acceptable solely at the discretion of the director of Teagasc.
The closing date for applications for the full time position, which has a salary scale of €40,080 to €76,519, is 12:00p.m on Monday, September 30, 2024.