3 PhD fellowships in Robotic Intercropping

The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Section for Crop Sciences, invites applications for 3 PhD fellowships in agroecological potential and ecological interactions as part of the Robotic Intercropping project funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

The starting date is expected to be 1 March 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project

The Robotic Intercropping project is a 5-year research initiative funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation with project partners from the University of Copenhagen (Denmark), the University of Southern Denmark, the Technical University of Denmark, and Wageningen University & Research (the Netherlands). The project aims to push the boundaries of research, innovation and collaboration in sustainable agriculture by co-developing robotics and intercropping systems that enhance food security, support biodiversity, and build climate-resilient farming systems with efficient resource use. You can read more about the project on the webpage ).

The Robotic Intercropping project comprises six Focus Areas that address the agroecological potential of intercropping systems and the ecological interactions within them, as well as the development of proximal sensing technologies, robotic systems, and digital twins, alongside innovation and education.

The three PhD positions will be part of Focus Area 1 (agroecological potential) and Focus Area 2 (ecological interactions), which together will comprise a total of five PhD students and one postdoc. The three positions will be based at the University of Copenhagen; however, the candidates will work in particularly close collaboration with project partners at Wageningen University & Research (the Netherlands). A research stay at Wageningen University & Research will be included in all three PhD projects.

PhD 1 Project Title: Crop yield and nutrient balances at the field level as influenced by cutting management strategies for improved resource use efficiency in intercropping systems.

The project focuses on identifying optimal cutting strategies for service crops as management interventions to enhance light, water, and nutrient use efficiency in cash crops. The main focus is on field experiments with detailed measurements of canopy and root development. The PhD project is supervised by Prof. Svend Christensen (University of Copenhagen) and Dr. Ir. Dirk van Apeldoorn (Wageningen University & Research).

PhD 2 Project Title: Spatial and temporal arrangements to improve cash and service crop performance and weed suppression in robotic intercropping systems.

The project aims to investigate how combinations of cash and service crops, spatial configurations of crop rows, plant density, and sowing time influence yield formation, weed suppression, and resource efficiency, and management interventions for optimisation. Data will be collected from both controlled and field experiments. The PhD project is supervised by Prof. Svend Christensen (University of Copenhagen), Assoc. Prof. Signe Marie Jensen (University of Copenhagen) and Prof. Jonne Rodenburg (Wageningen University & Research).

PhD 3 Project Title: Nutrients and soil microbial dynamics in service crops under different cutting and pruning strategies in robotic intercropping systems.

The project focuses on understanding how service crops such as alfalfa influence N and P cycling and soil microbial activity that regulate nutrient availability to cash crops (wheat, oilseed rape, faba bean) under different cutting and pruning strategies. The work will combine experiments in controlled and field environments with analyses of nutrient fluxes and microbial activity. Results will contribute to the development of robotic interventions for managing canopy and root competition. The PhD project is supervised by Prof. Svend Christensen (University of Copenhagen), Assistant Prof. Veronica Hansen (University of Copenhagen) and Assistant Prof. Stephanie Watts-Fawkes (Wageningen University & Research).

Who are we looking for?

PhD 1: Candidates with an MSc degree in plant or crop science, plant ecophysiology, agroecology or related fields. The candidates should have experience with, or a strong interest in, studying crop functional traits, resource competition, and complementarity among cash and service crop species. Experience with crop measurements, remote sensing, data integration, and biostatistical or modelling tools for analysing complex datasets will be considered an advantage.

PhD 2: Candidates with an MSc degree in plant or crop science, plant ecophysiology, agroecology or related fields. The candidates should have experience with, or a strong interest in semi-field and field experimentation, data collection on crop and weed performance, and quantitative analysis of crop growth and competition. Experience with crop measurements, remote sensing, and biostatistical or modelling tools for analysing complex datasets will be considered an advantage.

PhD 3: Candidates with an MSc degree in agroecology, crop or soil science, or a related field. The candidates should have experience with, or a strong interest in, controlled and field experimentation, as well as nutrient and soil analysis and soil–plant–microbe interactions. Experience with crop and soil sampling and sensing, isotopic labelling, and biostatistical or modelling tools for analysing complex datasets will be considered an advantage.

Our research environment and what we offer

The selected candidates will be part of the international and interdisciplinary Robotic Intercropping research environment, which includes more than 20 researchers and engineers in Denmark and the Netherlands. The team works closely together and meets regularly, both as a full group and in smaller sub-teams, to co-design the intercropping systems and the robotic solutions. The three PhD students will be part of a cohort of 11 PhD students and several postdocs across all project partners.

The three PhD positions, which are based at the University of Copenhagen, will be part of the Biostatistics Research Group in the Crop Science Section. The Section conducts research on crop production, plant–environment interactions, and sustainable agricultural systems, and the Biostatistics group contributes with experimental design and methods for studying and analysing complex biological and agroecological data. We are located just outside Copenhagen at the Taastrup Campus (Højbakkegård Allé 30, 2630 Taastrup).

We offer a creative and stimulating work environment within a dynamic and international research setting. Our facilities include state-of-the-art greenhouses and field research infrastructure at our campus in Taastrup.

Principal supervisor is Prof. Svend Christensen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, E-mail: , Telefon:

The PhD programme

A three-year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master's degree.

Qualifications needed for the regular programme

To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master's degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project as stated for each position above. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment in the regular programme

Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School of SCIENCE at the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision

• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE

• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis based on your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mindset with a strong interest in each position mentioned research areas
• Good language skills

Application and Assessment Procedure

Your application, including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include:

• Motivated letter of application (max. one page)

• Your motivation for applying to one of the 3 PhD projects. Please state clearly in your motivation letter to which PhD project you are applying.

• Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant to the position.

• Original diplomas for BSc or MSc and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.

• Publication list (if possible)

• Reference letters (if available)

Application deadline:

The deadline for applications is 14 December 2025, 23:59 GMT +1.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process

After the deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You will be notified whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above-mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in week 4 and 5 of 2026.

Questions

For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

[General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School's website: ].

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.

Københavns Universitet giver sine knap medarbejdere muligheder for at udnytte deres talent fuldt ud i et ambitiøst, uformelt miljø. Vi sikrer traditionsrige og moderne rammer om uddannelser og fri forskning på højt internationalt niveau. Vi søger svar og løsninger på fælles problemer og gør ny viden tilgængelig og nyttig for andre.

Svend Christensen

E-mail:

Katharina Vollheyde

E-mail:

Ansøgningsfrist:

Ansættelsesdato:

Arbejdstid: Fuldtid

Afdeling/Sted: PLEN