About the position
Call for Expressions of Interest
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) student
Bond University, Business School
Position title: PhD in Business (Digital Agriculture)
The Bond Business School is calling for expressions of interest from Business graduates wishing to complete a PhD in the field of Digital Agriculture. Developing Digital Agriculture Models for Sustainable Food Production in a Changing Climate.
This PhD research project is part of a broader initiative to create innovative planning models and techniques that incorporate climate change predictions and state-of-the-art agricultural practices. The focus is on determining optimal crop and livestock mixes for food-producing regions in Australia over the coming decades to ensure food security in the future. By combining climate change projections with advanced modelling, multi-objective optimization, and machine intelligence, this project aims to balance food production with environmental sustainability. The expected outcomes include new computational agriculture models and software tools for long-term sustainable food production planning. This research will benefit digital agriculture, agribusiness profitability at all scales, and inform government policy, addressing topics such as irrigation, hydrology, pest and weed control, climate modelling, and economic considerations.
The successful applicant’s doctoral thesis will be supervised by Professor Marcus Randall – Principal Supervisor.
About the person
Essential:
- A relevant Master by Research or relevant Bachelor degree with Honours
- Experience undertaking a substantial research project (e.g. Masters thesis or Honours thesis)
- Excellent data analysis and academic writing skills
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills and a demonstrated ability to work in teams
- Evidence of project management and organisational skills, including the ability to achieve goals and deliver outcomes within a specified time period
Desirable:
- Publication in a peer-reviewed journal
- Experience with tutoring business students
- Capacity to assist with seeking external funding with support from supervisors
Salary details
- Tuition fee waiver: The Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) scheme provides tuition fee waivers for eligible Australian and New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents enrolled in higher degree programs such as a PhD. The tuition waiver lasts the duration of the program.
- Option to apply for a scholarship*: The successful applicant will be encouraged to apply for the Living Stipend Scholarship at Bond University. The RTP also provides a limited number of scholarships for PhD students by way of a living stipend. Application is made through a competitive round held twice a year (closing 31 March and 30 September). The current full-time stipend rate for all HDR scholarship categories for 2025 is $33,511 AUD per annum.
- Employment opportunities: The successful applicant may also be provided with employment opportunities such as tutoring or research assistant work within the Bond Business School dependent upon prior experience. Employment will be subject to the conditions of the PhD program and the terms of any scholarship awarded.
Internship opportunities: The successful applicant may have the opportunity to partner with a business or organisation in our network to conduct research, gain valuable real-world experience and make an impact. PhD Industry Internships offer a unique opportunity to apply your research expertise to real-world challenges, collaborate with industry leaders, and build a pathway toward your future career.
The successful applicant will need to meet all Bond University requirements for entry into the PhD program and achieve the milestones required by the University throughout their doctoral program. It is also a requirement that the successful applicant be based full-time at the Gold Coast campus.
Additional information
The Bond Business School (BBS) delivers a truly personalised educational experience to every student. BBS provides a unique learning environment. This setting tailors our industry-relevant learning experiences to the needs of each student, one by one. In addition, each student has unparalleled access to dedicated learning facilities, global industry connections, internationally diverse cohorts and world class academics. We demonstrate an outstanding student service ethic, offer an engaging and satisfying student experience, and prioritise student wellbeing. We engage in high quality, impactful research in niche areas of research excellence.
Our research groups include:
- Centre for Data Analytics
- Governance, Accountability and Purpose (GAP) Research Group
- Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise
Application and submission details
How to submit an expression of interest
Please submit your expression of interest via the Bond University application portal.
Your EOI must include:
- The number and title of the position you are applying for.
- A written statement (maximum of 2 pages) describing your interest in the research project and proposed research topic.
- A written statement (maximum of 2 pages) addressing the selection criteria set out above.
- A current curriculum vitae including the names of two academic referees.
- Your academic transcripts.
- An example of your written academic work (e.g. Honours thesis, peer-reviewed journal article, or academic research projects)
* If you are seeking to apply for a living stipend scholarship, please also separately apply for the Higher Degree Research scholarship. Please submit your applications by the 31st of March for round 1 or the 30th of September for round 2. The application link and scholarship selection criteria can be found at the bottom of the page on the following link: https://bond.edu.au/research/research-degrees/fees-and-scholarships.
For all enquiries related to this position, please contact the Bond Business School on bbsresearch@bond.edu.au.