Phd Student In Environmental Fate Of Herbicides

PhD Opportunity in Environmental Fate of Herbicides

START: SPRING OR FALL 2027

Mississippi State University

Weed Science Research Group

The Weed Science Research Group at Mississippi State University is recruiting a PhD student to study the environmental fate, behavior, and transport of herbicides in agricultural systems .

This position will focus on understanding the physicochemical processes that govern herbicide persistence, mobility, and transformation under field and controlled conditions.

Research Focus Areas

• Herbicide sorption/desorption in soils
• Degradation kinetics (biotic and abiotic processes)
• Transport (Leaching potential, Volatility, runoff)
• Laboratory and field-scale experimentation

Required Background

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Agronomy, Soil Science, Environmental Chemistry, Chemistry, Crop Science, or related field
• Previous coursework in chemistry (organic chemistry and analytical chemistry)
• Previous coursework in Soil Science (soil chemistry, soil physics preferred)
• Solid quantitative skills and statistical foundation
• Willingness to conduct both laboratory and field research

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands‑on experience with chromatographic techniques (HPLC, LC‑MS/MS, GC)
• Experience in herbicide residue analysis
• Understanding of soil–chemical interactions
• Experience in experimental design and data analysis (R, SAS, or similar)
• Background in environmental risk assessment
• Scientific writing experience (publications are a plus)
• Ability to work independently and manage long‑term experiments

What This Position Offers

• Training in advanced environmental fate methodologies
• Hands‑on experience with analytical chemistry and field experimentation
• Strong integration between laboratory and applied agricultural systems
• Opportunities for high‑impact publications
• Collaboration with national and international partners
• Mentorship in becoming an independent scientist and future leader in weed and environmental sciences
• Full graduate research assistantship: competitive stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance for three years.