The FEATURE doctoral network is recruiting 13 doctoral candidates (DCs) for fully funded PhD projects investigating how alternative feeds can support sustainable, circular and resilient livestock systems across Europe. The programme focuses on locally available resources, including multispecies forages, food-industry by-products and insect-based ingredients, to reduce environmental impacts while maintaining productivity, animal health, and food quality.

Doctoral candidates will work in an international, interdisciplinary environment and receive training in advanced analytical approaches. Projects will evaluate alternative feeds and quantify their effects on animal performance, methane emissions and nitrogen outputs, and the nutritional and sensory characteristics of animal-derived foods (including flavour and taste).

Several projects also address systemic impacts, including environmental footprint, techno-economic and socioeconomic feasibility across livestock value chains. FEATURE will apply multi-omics techniques and bioinformatics to strengthen understanding of gut ecology and host metabolism, supporting evidence-based feeding strategies and practical innovation.

Doctoral candidates will benefit from personalised development plans, consortium-wide training schools, specialist workshops, and structured secondments, including placements with industry partners. Graduates will develop scientific expertise and transferable skills in communication, innovation, and entrepreneurship, supporting career progression in academia and industry.

Available PhD topics

• DC01: Multispecies swards as forage protein in beef cattle production Host: Teagasc, Ireland | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401776

• DC02: Multispecies swards as forage protein in lamb production Host: Teagasc, Ireland | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401797

• DC03: Oil-rich food-industry co-products as protein feeds in dairy cow diets Host: University of Reading, United Kingdom | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401804

• DC04: Food-industry co-products as local alternative feeds for dairy ewes Host: Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401809

• DC05: Food-industry co-products as local alternative feeds for dairy goats Host: Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401860

• DC06: Food-industry co-products as protein feeds in pig diets Host: KU Leuven, Belgium | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401870

• DC07: Food-industry co-products and insect meal as protein feeds in broiler diets Host: KU Leuven, Belgium | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401878

• DC08: Food-industry co-products as protein feeds in laying hen diets Host: Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Belgium | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401883

• DC09: Effects of food-industry co-products in dairy diets on milk and cheese quality Host: University of Reading, United Kingdom | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401886

• DC10: Effects of food-industry co-products or insect meal in pig and poultry diets on meat quality Host: Agriculture Institute of Slovenia, Slovenia | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401891

• DC11: Life-cycle sustainability assessment of alternative feeds in European livestock systems Host: University of Reading, United Kingdom | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401896

• DC12: Techno-economic assessment of alternative feed use in livestock production systems Host: University of Pisa, Italy | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401900

• DC13: Adoption pathways for alternative feed innovation in EU livestock systems Host: University of Pisa, Italy | More information: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/401905

Funding acknowledgement This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (Grant Agreement ID: 101226232).