IRTA
PhD candidate for a project about 3D Perception and Structural Plant Modelling f
IRTA, Villa Espana Colonia, Texas, United States
Organisation/Company IRTA Department Human Resources Research Field Computer science » 3 D modelling Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Spain Application Deadline 9 Jan 2026 - 12:55 (Europe/Madrid) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 37.5 Offer Starting Date 9 Mar 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description We are currently seeking a
PhD Candidate
to join the Fruit Growing Program and the Efficient Use of Water in Agriculture Programteams located in Fruitcentre
(Lleida) , offering a great opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary team at the forefront of agricultural digitalization.
We invite applications from motivated candidates with passion and a strong interest in conducting research and innovation in
3D sensing applied to agriculture , particularly in areas such as
plant phenotyping ,
3D computer vision , and
digital twin development . The applicant will contribute to the development of a 3D scanning system to analyse and model the structural and physiological growth dynamics of apple trees, combining 3D sensors, SLAM, computer vision, and plant modelling under varying environmental conditions ( TreeGrowthTwin
project).
Tasks and Responsibilities:
Develop a 3D scanning system using SLAM techniques with LiDAR and/or RGB-D sensors, combined with Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) and GNSS sensors, for 3D perception in agricultural environments.
Implement 3D computer vision techniques for fruit trees segmentation.
Maintain and process longitudinal datasets from field trials, including sensor data (3D, environmental, physiological) and management records.
Coordinate and execute experimental trials involving different environmental conditions, irrigation strategies, training systems, and cultivar/rootstock combinations.
Develop data processing pipelines and analytical tools for integrating sensor data, physiological measurements, and model outputs.
Contribute to the development and validation of models for simulating the structural growth dynamics of fruit trees under different environmental and management conditions.
Contribute to the scientific outputs derived from the research activities of the project.
Participate in dissemination and communication activities, including presentations at scientific conferences, stakeholder events, and collaborative workshops.
To supervise bachelor’s degree students doing practices related to the project.
Candidates must hold both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in one of the following fields: Computer Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, Telecommunications, Computer Vision, Bioinformatics or equivalent.
To be in a position to access a doctoral programme according to the requirements of Catalan universities, i.e. accrediting between 60 and 120 ECTS credits at the official university master’s degree level or equivalent.
Strong teamwork skills, ability to adapt to multidisciplinary environments and a focus on professional growth and development.
Good written and oral English skills
Programming skills in a suitable language (e.g., Pyhton) and experience in specialized libraries for Machine Learning and Deep Learning (Scikit-learn, Pytorch, TensorFlow or equivalent) will be valued.
Knowledge and experience on the use of 3D sensors and SLAM techniques.
Willingness to conduct agronomic and field work.
Dissemination skills: presentation/communication skills, and technical writing.
Catalan and Spanish are valued.
Languages ENGLISH Level Basic
Research Field Computer science » 3 D modelling
Additional Information Advantages of joining our team:
Terms of appointment: 4 years
Contract: The financial remuneration for the PhD Candidate contract will be €1,363.10/gross per month (€19,083.40/gross per annum) and for the first and second years. For this third year, it will be €1,460.46/gross per month (€20,446.44/gross per annum) and for the fourth year it will be €1,825.58/gross per month (€25,558.12/gross per annum) which will be subject to the corresponding withholdings, pursuant to prevailing regulations, and to the collective employment agreement of IRTA. IRTA will also pay the fees of the doctoral school when receiving the enrolment. (1)
37.5 hour workweek, with Friday afternoons off
Intensive work schedule from 15/06 to 15/09
3 days of family & work conciliation
45 hours of personal days
Flexible Schedule for a good work-life balance.
Continuous training and professional growth opportunities.
Please know that if you are the chosen candidate and you are from a country which does not belong to the UE, IRTA’s People Department will support you to get the residence and working permits.
Selection process
Selection Process:
Curricular assessment:
The candidate’s qualifications and merits will be evaluated according to the criteria established in the job offer.
Interview(s):
These will be conducted by a Selection Committee to assess the candidate’s suitability in terms of professional experience and competencies.
Additional tests (if applicable):
Depending on the position profile and the needs of the process, specific competency-based tests and/or a psychometric test may be included in order to more accurately assess the suitability of the candidates.
Start of contract: March of 2026 (approximately)
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Offer Description We are currently seeking a
PhD Candidate
to join the Fruit Growing Program and the Efficient Use of Water in Agriculture Programteams located in Fruitcentre
(Lleida) , offering a great opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary team at the forefront of agricultural digitalization.
We invite applications from motivated candidates with passion and a strong interest in conducting research and innovation in
3D sensing applied to agriculture , particularly in areas such as
plant phenotyping ,
3D computer vision , and
digital twin development . The applicant will contribute to the development of a 3D scanning system to analyse and model the structural and physiological growth dynamics of apple trees, combining 3D sensors, SLAM, computer vision, and plant modelling under varying environmental conditions ( TreeGrowthTwin
project).
Tasks and Responsibilities:
Develop a 3D scanning system using SLAM techniques with LiDAR and/or RGB-D sensors, combined with Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) and GNSS sensors, for 3D perception in agricultural environments.
Implement 3D computer vision techniques for fruit trees segmentation.
Maintain and process longitudinal datasets from field trials, including sensor data (3D, environmental, physiological) and management records.
Coordinate and execute experimental trials involving different environmental conditions, irrigation strategies, training systems, and cultivar/rootstock combinations.
Develop data processing pipelines and analytical tools for integrating sensor data, physiological measurements, and model outputs.
Contribute to the development and validation of models for simulating the structural growth dynamics of fruit trees under different environmental and management conditions.
Contribute to the scientific outputs derived from the research activities of the project.
Participate in dissemination and communication activities, including presentations at scientific conferences, stakeholder events, and collaborative workshops.
To supervise bachelor’s degree students doing practices related to the project.
Candidates must hold both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in one of the following fields: Computer Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, Telecommunications, Computer Vision, Bioinformatics or equivalent.
To be in a position to access a doctoral programme according to the requirements of Catalan universities, i.e. accrediting between 60 and 120 ECTS credits at the official university master’s degree level or equivalent.
Strong teamwork skills, ability to adapt to multidisciplinary environments and a focus on professional growth and development.
Good written and oral English skills
Programming skills in a suitable language (e.g., Pyhton) and experience in specialized libraries for Machine Learning and Deep Learning (Scikit-learn, Pytorch, TensorFlow or equivalent) will be valued.
Knowledge and experience on the use of 3D sensors and SLAM techniques.
Willingness to conduct agronomic and field work.
Dissemination skills: presentation/communication skills, and technical writing.
Catalan and Spanish are valued.
Languages ENGLISH Level Basic
Research Field Computer science » 3 D modelling
Additional Information Advantages of joining our team:
Terms of appointment: 4 years
Contract: The financial remuneration for the PhD Candidate contract will be €1,363.10/gross per month (€19,083.40/gross per annum) and for the first and second years. For this third year, it will be €1,460.46/gross per month (€20,446.44/gross per annum) and for the fourth year it will be €1,825.58/gross per month (€25,558.12/gross per annum) which will be subject to the corresponding withholdings, pursuant to prevailing regulations, and to the collective employment agreement of IRTA. IRTA will also pay the fees of the doctoral school when receiving the enrolment. (1)
37.5 hour workweek, with Friday afternoons off
Intensive work schedule from 15/06 to 15/09
3 days of family & work conciliation
45 hours of personal days
Flexible Schedule for a good work-life balance.
Continuous training and professional growth opportunities.
Please know that if you are the chosen candidate and you are from a country which does not belong to the UE, IRTA’s People Department will support you to get the residence and working permits.
Selection process
Selection Process:
Curricular assessment:
The candidate’s qualifications and merits will be evaluated according to the criteria established in the job offer.
Interview(s):
These will be conducted by a Selection Committee to assess the candidate’s suitability in terms of professional experience and competencies.
Additional tests (if applicable):
Depending on the position profile and the needs of the process, specific competency-based tests and/or a psychometric test may be included in order to more accurately assess the suitability of the candidates.
Start of contract: March of 2026 (approximately)
#J-18808-Ljbffr