Universitas Brawijaya / Colegio de Getafe, Bohol
Universitas Brawijaya, Indonesia, invites applications for a PhD Research Fellow position in sensor optimization and field trials for aquaculture disease management. The position is part of the AQUAROM project, funded by the Research Council of Norway, focusing on resilient aquaculture outbreak management across tropical waters. The PhD candidate will be enrolled at Universitas Brawijaya and hosted by Colegio de Getafe (CDG) in Bohol, Philippines.
| Work Package | WP1 (Sensor Optimization) & WP4 (Field Trials) |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Stipend | IDR 6,000,000 - 12,000,000 per month |
| Application Deadline | Open until filled |
| Expected Start Date | As soon as possible |
The PhD candidate will develop and validate cost-effective sensor monitoring configurations for early detection of disease outbreaks in aquaculture environments. The work involves laboratory testing and benchmarking of affordable sensor setups (temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, pH, ammonia), followed by extensive field trials across 6-10 aquaculture sites in the Philippines.
You will conduct two seasonal field trials (3-4 months each) in collaboration with fish farmers and local stakeholders. The research includes developing data processing and signal enhancement algorithms using Ensemble Kalman Filtering, implementing quality control procedures, and validating minimal-sensor solutions in real-world environments. A key component is stakeholder co-creation through workshops and farmer collaborations to ensure practical applicability.
The position offers excellent opportunities for international research collaboration with partners at NORCE Research AS, Universitas Brawijaya, and Colegio de Getafe. You are expected to publish at least 3-4 articles in high impact journals.
Applicants must hold a Master's degree in Aquaculture, Fisheries, Environmental Engineering, Informatics, or a related field, with a minimum of 2 peer-reviewed publications (at least 1 as first author) in aquaculture, sensor systems, or environmental monitoring. Documented research experience in aquaculture or environmental monitoring through thesis work or projects is required, along with Python programming proficiency (NumPy, Pandas, SciPy), experience with sensor data analysis and time-series data, and database skills (SQL). Willingness to conduct extended fieldwork in the Philippines is essential. English proficiency: TOEFL 550+ or equivalent (IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 79).
Experience with IoT sensor deployment and calibration, knowledge of Ensemble Kalman Filtering or state-space models, aquaculture disease management background, machine learning experience (TensorFlow, PyTorch), and version control systems (Git) are considered advantageous.
The position includes a monthly stipend of IDR 6-12 million based on qualifications, full PhD program support at Universitas Brawijaya with international co-supervision, research equipment and field trial resources, conference attendance funding (3 annual project workshops plus international conferences), research visits to NORCE Norway, and access to an international collaboration network across Norway, Philippines, and Indonesia.
Applications must include: cover letter (max 2 pages), CV with complete publication list, academic transcripts (Bachelor's and Master's degree), TOEFL score report, publications (PDFs), research experience documentation, three letters of reference (one must be from Master's thesis supervisor), and research proposal (2-3 pages). Please combine all documents into a single PDF file named: AQUAROM_PhD_WP1_[LastName]_[FirstName].pdf
or send application to: hasv@norceresearch.no and moch.ali.fauzi@ub.ac.id
Email subject: PhD AQUAROM WP1 - [Your Full Name]
Dr. Hasan Asyari Arief (Co-Supervisor)
NORCE Research AS
hasv@norceresearch.no
Dr. Muhammad Ali Fauzi (Co-Supervisor)
Faculty of Computer Science, Universitas Brawijaya
moch.ali.fauzi@ub.ac.id