Post Doc in System Design for Active Fluorescence Observations from UAVs

Location Wageningen

We are looking for

A post-doctoral researcher to design, construct, operate and evaluate an active laser-induced fluorescence system on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) to detect and measure specific excitations as induced from in-situ sensors in the field. The context of the research is to contribute to innovative sensing solutions for sustainable environmental monitoring of topsoil and air above soil environments. This research should advance remote sensing principles of integrated fluorescent LiDAR technology (fLiDAR) to achieve fluorescence mapping of the 3D environment, detect and localize fluorescent ID tags and support the fluorescence read-out of the sensors.

We look for a highly qualified researcher with good capability of designing and constructing innovative LiDAR based sensing systems, evaluating the system in controlled and field situations and being able to work independently as well as in multi-disciplinary teams. Experience with systematic design approaches, and mechatronics engineering for fluorescence and LiDAR systems as well as implementing these in a structured manner in a data-processing chain is essential.

The postdoc will participate in the EU-funded I-Seed project which seeks to develop a new generation of self-deployable, biodegradable, soft miniaturized robots endowed with fluorescence sensors which take inspiration from the morphology and dispersion abilities of plant seeds, to support in-situ monitoring of environmental parameters and extent existing sensor frameworks. The research will be conducted from the Laboratory of Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing (GRS) at Wageningen University in close collaboration with an international multi-disciplinary research team (Germany, Italy, Cyprus) combining expertise from bio-inspired robotics, material science, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and remote sensing.

You will work in an ideal working environment. Our campus is an inspiring green place to work, and has been selected as the most sustainable campus in the world multiple times. Besides that, we have a top ranking in several fields, with a #1 ranking for environmental science, ecology and agriculture, as well as very strong rankings in other fields!

Are you curious to figure out more about our work? Check out our page with news, recent publications and video’s.

We ask

• PhD in Mechatronics Engineering, Remote Sensing, Physics or a related field;
• Expertise in sensor design and construction based on LiDAR and laser-induced fluorescence systems, to develop innovative fluorescence based sensing approaches for detection, localization and read-out of sensors in heterogeneous environments;
• Experience in processing and analysis of active remote sensing data and the development of relevant analysis methods;
• Experience in Python and/or R;
• Strong scientific writing skills and publishing capacity as proven by a track record;
• Interest to collaborate in a multi-disciplinary research team;
• Excellent communication and writing skills in English.

We offer

We offer excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

More information

To learn more about this function you can get in touch with Dr. ir. Lammert Kooistra, e-mail: lammert.kooistra@wur.nl

For additional information about the procedure you can contact Edgar Tijhuis, corporate recruiter, e-mail: edgar.tijhuis@wur.nl

Do you want to apply?

This can be done directly by uploading your CV and motivation letter via the application button at the vacancy on our website so that we can process your personal data with your permission.

This vacancy is open until 26 February 2021. Two weeks after this date the first interviews will be planned, and we aim for a starting date in May 2021.

Equal opportunities

WUR employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who encourage and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. For more information please go to our inclusivity webpage. A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment.

We are

The mission of our University is to explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life. Nine specialized research institutes from the Wageningen Research Foundation and Wageningen University have joined forces to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With approximately 30 locations, 6,500 employees, and 12,000 students, it is one of the leading organizations in its domain worldwide. A coordinated approach to problems and the cooperation between various fields are at the heart of the outstanding approach of Wageningen.

We are the laboratory of GIS and Remote Sensing (GRS) of Wageningen University. Our fundamental research and education concerns our living environment: nature, landscape, land use, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, water management, and various claims on space. The laboratory is very international in terms of staff and student composition.