PhD in Design, Development and Performance Evaluation of Engineered Wood Products developed using Irish-grown hardwoods

The successful candidate will work
alongside the TU Dublin Project Lead, Dr
Sameer Mehra, and will be co-supervised by Damien
Cross at the Wood and Bio-based Materials Research Group (WBMRG), TU Dublin
– City Campus. The candidate will collaborate with project partners on the BIOFABRICATE
Project: Integrated Bio-based Innovations for Sustainable Manufacturing,
Construction, and Pharmaceutical Applications from Irish Forest Biomass.
Led by the University of Galway (UoG), BIOFABRICATE is a
multi-institutional research program involving Atlantic Technological
University (ATU), Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Dublin City University (DCU),
Teagasc, and various industry partners. This project aims to develop and
validate advanced bio-based materials and technologies from Ireland's growing
forest biomass for applications in engineered timber construction,
manufacturing, food packaging, and pharmaceuticals.

The PhD candidate will focus on developing
novel engineered wood products (EWPs) from Irish hardwoods - a largely untapped
resource with limited precedent for structural or modular timber systems in
Ireland. This research forms part of Task 5, "Material Innovation and
Small-Scale Prototyping of Bio-Based and Circular Engineered Wood
Products," which seeks to advance sustainable, bio-based, and circular
engineered wood systems for Irish structural applications. The candidate will
help identify suitable Irish-grown hardwood resources, support material
sourcing and characterisation, and develop small-scale hardwood-only and hybrid
softwood-hardwood prototypes for structural and modular uses. Research
activities will encompass prototype manufacturing, processing studies,
mechanical and physical characterisation, structural and durability
assessments, and the generation of performance data to support larger-scale
structural testing and numerical modelling in subsequent project tasks. The
candidate will work closely with project partners at UoG, TCD, DCU, ATU Galway,
and Teagasc, as well as industry collaborators, offering excellent
opportunities for research, training, industry engagement, and dissemination.

Health,
Engineering and Materials Science Research Hub - https://www.tudublin.ie/research-innovation/research/discover-our-research/research-hubs/health-engineering-materials-science/

School of
Architecture, Building and Environment (SABE) –

https://www.tudublin.ie/explore/faculties-and-schools/engineering-built-environment/architecture-building-and-environment/

Essential
requirements/ Qualifications

·        
Bachelor’s
or Master’s degree (minimum 2.1 grade or equivalent) in wood science, timber
technology, wood science and engineering, timber engineering, civil or
structural engineering, materials science, manufacturing, construction
technology, or a closely related discipline.

·        
Valid
authorisation to reside, work, and travel freely within the European Union for
the project's duration.

·        
Fluency
in English, with excellent report-writing and oral presentation skills.

·        
Strong
organisational, time-management, and prioritisation abilities.

·        
The
capacity to work independently and collaboratively within a team.

·        
Proficiency
in IT and professional social networking.

·        
Excellent
interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.

Desirable
requirements/ Qualifications

·        
Knowledge
of timber mechanics, timber engineering, and the physical properties of wood.

·        
Experience
with the microscopic analysis of wood.

·        
Background
in timber materials, laboratory testing, CAD/CAM, material characterisation,
structural design, sustainable construction, or prototype development.

·        
Strong
analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

·        
A
full, clean Irish/European Union driving license.

The candidate must be self-motivated and
willing to acquire the broader skills necessary for the successful completion
of a PhD.

If either English or Irish is not the
applicant’s first language, evidence of English language proficiency is
required for registration. Please refer to the web link  English
Language Requirements | Technological University Dublin to view the
minimum English language proficiency standards for entry to TU Dublin.

Project Start Date: September 1st, 2026

Application Closing Date: July 21st, 2026

 Applicants should submit:

·        
A Curriculum Vitae (maximum 4
pages, including 2 referees).

·        
A copy of academic transcripts.

·        
A Personal Statement (maximum 1
page) outlining:

• • How you
    meet the position's requirements.
  • Why you
    wish to pursue this PhD research program.

Applications must be submitted to sameer.mehra@tudublin.ie  and cc'd to damien.cross@tudublin.ie  (Subject line: "Application to
BIOFABRICATE_PhD 1 - [Your Name]"). Note: Applications missing this exact
subject line may not be recorded. Please ensure all documents are attached as a
single Word or PDF file.