"PhD Student Scholarships in Agriculture and AI"

Available Scholarships

• PhD Student Scholarships: Development of the PaddyVision® instrument for rapid and non-destructive rice quality analysis
• PhD Student Scholarships: Development of Digital Twin for Decision-Support Framework in Variable-Rate Application of Pre-Emergent Herbicides
• PhD Student Scholarships: Integrated Australian Shorn Wool Production Forecasting System Using Digital Twin Technology
• PhD Student Scholarships: Artificial Intelligence-Powered Climate Resilience Soil Model for Australian Broadacre Cropping and Livestock Producers

Location: Australia wide – Bathurst, Wagga, Albury, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra

Salary: $42,483 per year

Get paid while you develop your career with an industry supported PhD. Gain industry-supported, hands-on research experience with potential further opportunities for the right candidate. This PhD is open to country wide locations, eligible for DOMESTIC applicants. Join the AgriTwins program: a cutting-edge graduate opportunity blending AI, cybersecurity, and quantum technologies to revolutionise sustainable agriculture.

Charles Sturt University’s AI and Cyber Futures Institute (AICF), a cutting-edge research institute of excellence in data science, artificial intelligence, and cyber security, is poised to showcase the power of AI developed in unconventional environments, ensuring its benefits are tailored not only for metropolitan populations but also for the broader society, positioning Australia on the global map.

At AICF, we aim to create secure, sustainable, responsible, and inclusive technologies that maximize human potential and wellbeing in agriculture. By bridging cyber-secure emerging technologies with data-centric innovations, we aim to build a resilient agricultural and environmental future.

Central to this effort is our AgriTwins program (a part of the CSIRO Next Generation Graduates Programs), a transformative approach that integrates advanced digital and quantum twin technologies with cybersecurity. This program is a cohort-based, industry driven, multi-disciplinary graduate training program that aims to equip students with entrepreneurial thinking and skill sets that are key to boost breakthrough innovation in the exciting fields of AI and other emerging technologies. All while addressing escalating agricultural challenges, such as sustainability, efficiency optimisation, and resource management, providing real-time insights and data-driven precision to support resilience and adaptability.

The AI and Cyber Futures Institute is seeking a motivated and qualified candidate for a fully-funded PhD scholarship. The preferred candidate should have strong programming and data science abilities, with experience in sensor technologies or IoT being advantageous. A background/knowledge in agriculture relevant to project focus will be desirable. Familiarity with digital twin modelling, remote sensing, and cloud computing is valued, as is a commitment to learning and advancing in these areas. The successful candidate will have the ability to work with real time industry tools, applying data-driven insights to tackle agricultural challenges. Problem-solving skills are essential, along with a collaborative spirit to bridge the gap between agricultural needs and innovative digital solutions for a sustainable future.

The successful applicant will need to meet Charles Sturt University and CSIRO Next Generation Graduates program requirements for admission into the PhD program and achieve the program milestones.

To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must be domestic students as per the Higher Education Support Act at the time of award. Domestic students include:

• Australian citizens
• Australian permanent residents
• a person entitled to stay in Australia, or to enter and stay in Australia, without any limitation as to time
• a New Zealand citizen.

This opportunity is open to full-time candidates.

Closing date for EOI is 26th September 2025. Positions open until filled.