Postdoctoral Fellow in Dairy Calf Welfare : Palmerston North, New Zealand

Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences
Palmerston North

The Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences is offering a two-year full time postdoctoral fellowship to conduct a specified programme of research and scholarship on dairy calf welfare in the commercial New Zealand supply chain. The aim of the research is to identify factors that cause and/or contribute to calf morbidity and mortality across the complete supply chain. In addition, the research must identify scientifically rigorous and practical welfare indicators for use on-farm and at lairage.

As the successful candidate, you will have the opportunity to work with globally-renowned researchers from Massey University’s Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre (AWSBC) and AgResearch’s Animal Behaviour and Welfare Research Centre. Ideally, you will have training and experience in areas relevant to scientific assessment of animal welfare. It is preferred that you have experience in statistical data analysis but at least strong numerical competence is essential. It would also be useful to have direct experience of the dairy cow industry, with particular emphasis on the farm management, transport and processing of calves. Proven ability to write scientific papers is essential.

The position will be based in Palmerston North but will involve extensive and extended travel to dairy farms and slaughter premises around New Zealand to evaluate the welfare of young dairy calves during on-farm management, transport and leading up to slaughter. As the successful applicant, you will be able to work with minimal supervision and communicate successfully with a range of people, including farmers, transport operators and other industry stakeholders.