GPI Fellowship 2026: Call for Applications on Phosphorus-Use Efficiency
The Global Phosphorus Institute (GPI) is pleased to announce a new Fellowship opportunity focused on advancing methods and approaches for evaluating phosphorus-use efficiency (PUE) across agricultural systems.
Phosphorus-use efficiency is a critical component of sustainable crop production and effective nutrient management. While a substantial body of scientific research has generated valuable knowledge on phosphorus uptake, recovery, fertilizer management and crop responses, approaches to assessing PUE continue to vary considerably across definitions, indicators, methodologies, spatial scales and agricultural contexts.
Through this Fellowship, GPI aims to support the development of a comprehensive methodological synthesis and a practical, harmonized framework for evaluating phosphorus and nutrient-use efficiency across agricultural systems and scales.
The Fellowship will be implemented under the joint scientific supervision of GPI and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), with the successful Fellow hosted at the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre in Vienna, Austria, for a period of twelve months.
Advancing a common framework for phosphorus-use efficiency
The selected Fellow will undertake an in-depth assessment of existing methodologies used to evaluate phosphorus-use efficiency, including their application across different soils, crops, production systems, agroecological regions and scales of analysis.
The work will include reviewing existing PUE concepts, definitions and indicators; examining related approaches such as nutrient-use efficiency, phosphorus balances and budgets, fertilizer recovery and crop uptake; assessing methodological strengths, limitations and data requirements; and exploring the contribution of isotope and nuclear techniques alongside conventional agronomic approaches.
A central objective will be to propose a harmonized evaluation framework capable of supporting both scientific analysis and practical decision-making. The Fellowship will also contribute to establishing baselines against which progress in phosphorus-use efficiency can be monitored over time.
Over the twelve-month period, expected outputs include a methodological inventory and gap analysis, an assessment of the comparability of widely used indicators, a visual baseline assessment of phosphorus-use efficiency across scales, a harmonized evaluation framework with decision-support guidance, and a major scientific report accompanied by methodological notes and at least one peer-reviewed publication.
Who should apply?
GPI welcomes applications from scientists with a PhD in Soil Science, Agronomy, Plant Nutrition, Crop Science, Environmental Science, Agricultural Systems or a closely related discipline.
Applicants should have demonstrated expertise in soil–plant nutrient management and phosphorus-use efficiency, at least three years of relevant professional experience, and strong capabilities in scientific analysis, evidence synthesis, data analysis, visualization and scientific writing.
Experience with isotope techniques, phosphorus modelling, nutrient budgets and balance analysis, large-scale datasets, policy-oriented research, or international scientific collaboration would be an additional asset.
How to apply
Applicants are invited to submit the following documents to our email address: GPIcommunication@tgpi.org
- A Curriculum Vitae;
- A Letter of Motivation of no more than two pages, outlining their proposed approach to implementing the Fellowship; and
- The names and contact details of three professional referees.
Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview.
GPI is committed to promoting excellence, diversity and equal opportunity in scientific research. Applications from qualified candidates of all nationalities are encouraged.
Interested candidates are encouraged to consult the full Call for Applications below for detailed information on the Fellowship scope, expected deliverables, qualifications and application requirements.
[Download the full Call for Applications – GPI Fellowship Programme 2026]