Doctorat / PhD — Better Nitrogen efficiency by improving Cow Resilience, Eating Dynamics, Breeding and Lifetime Ef...

Doctorat / PhD Type de contrat : ["FULL_TIME","TEMPORARY"] Date limite de candidature : 2026-11-29T00:00:00.000Z

Applicants are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Quantitative Genetics and Genomics programme. The position is available from 1 March 2027 or later. You can submit your application via the link under 'how to apply'. Title Better Nitrogen efficiency by improving Cow Resilience, Eating Dynamics, Breeding and Lifetime Efficiency Research area and project description The Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics (QGG) holds a leading position in cattle breeding research, particularly in genetic studies on data generated by advanced phenotyping technologies such as the CFIT 3D camera system through industry collaboration with VikingGenetics. This state-of-the-art system enables large-scale, non-invasive measurement of feed intake, body weight, and milk production data in over 30,000 cows directly in their production environment. This PhD project will leverage this extensive phenotypic dataset generated by CFIT, in combination with feeding parameters and other phenotypes from the Danish Cattle Database, to develop genetic tools aimed at enhancing nitrogen efficiency, resilience, eating dynamics and feed efficiency. The goal is to develop novel genomic breeding values for nitrogen efficiency, while considering other important breeding goal traits (e.g., productivity, health, fertility) and other traits, such as resilience, eating dynamics and feed efficiency. The project will apply advanced statistical methods, artificial intelligence, and cutting-edge genetic models to support and enhance management and breeding decision-making by dairy farmers. This project offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the green transition in agriculture by breeding cows that are both more sustainable and economically viable for the future of Danish dairy farming. We encourage candidates finishing their MSc in summer 2027 also to apply. Qualifications and specific competences A relevant master’s degree (120 ECTS) in Animal Breeding Experience with data handling softwares (e.g., R, SAS, Python, Unix Shell) and genetic softwares (e.g., DMU, BLUPF90, AIREML). Background in working with Livestock data is an advantage. The ability to speak and write English fluently is a prerequisite for the applicant. Can speak and write English fluently is a prerequisite. Place of employment and place of work The place of employment is Aarhus University, and the place of work is Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, C.F. Møllers Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus C., Denmark. Contacts Applicants seeking further information regarding the PhD position are invited to contact: Associate Professor Bingjie Li, e-mail: [email] (main supervisor) Tenure Track Assistant Professor Rasmus Bak Stephansen, e-mail: [email] (co-supervisor) For information about application…