Postdoctoral Research Scientist/ MPhil- Tea Industry

Deadline :- 15th January 2026

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a National Science Foundation funded initiative that brings together senior academics from the Faculties of Engineering, Agriculture, and Arts at the University of Peradeniya, plantation industry partners, along with international collaborators from the United Kingdom and Australia. The transdisciplinary project aims to enhance the value contributed by Sri Lanka’s tea industry to the national economy through a comprehensive, integrated strategy built upon four key pillars that span the entire value chain;

(a) develop ergonomic tools for tea harvesting to improve productivity and quality, and address workforce shortages

(b) use drone and wearable sensor data to create a digital plantation model that supports data-driven cultivation decisions and yield prediction while reducing resource use and environmental impact

(c) deploy a sensor suite in the factory to build a digital twin to enable real-time monitoring, traceability, and data-driven optimisation of tea processing for improved quality and sustainability and

(d) engage workers and management in the adoption of new technologies to ensure acceptance, fair benefits, and long-term sustainability.

Openings are available for: