Postdoc Position in Multi-Modal UAV Based-Sensing for Agricultural Monitoring

Location Wagenngen

We are looking for

A post-doctoral researcher to develop novel UAV based-sensing approaches by combining different sensing techniques and analysis methods to support agricultural monitoring of disease impact and crop growth patterns. The context of the work is to contribute to innovative solutions of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) to provide timely and data-driven information to growers to support their management activities. This research should identify how combination of UAV-based sensing approaches (hyperspectral, thermal, lidar, RGB/photogrammetry, SIF) can quantify relevant traits and growth processes of individual plants to understand their functioning in an agricultural field.

We look for a highly qualified researcher with good capability of designing and executing field experiments evaluating the potential of multi-modal UAV based-sensing systems and being able to work independently as well as in multi-disciplinary teams. Experience with the development of innovative data analysis methods (semantic segmentation, machine learning regression methods) as well as implementing these in a structured manner in a data-processing chain is essential.

The research will be conducted from the Laboratory of Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing (GRS) in close collaboration with other research groups from Wageningen University (Plant Sciences, Farming Technology, Information Technology), and Wageningen Research (Earth Informatics, Netherlands Plant Eco-phenotyping Centre).

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. Finally, as for education, Wageningen University has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 16th consecutive time.
Do you like to know more about our work? Check out our page with news, recent publications and video’s.

We ask

• PhD in Geo-information Science, Remote Sensing, Plant Science or a related field;
• Expertise in designing and analyzing field experiments aimed at coupling in situ plant trait measurements to relevant UAV based-sensing approaches: hyperspectral, thermal, lidar, RGB/photogrammetry, Sun-induced Fluorescence (SIF);
• Experience in processing and analysis of remote sensing data and the development of relevant (Machine Learning) 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

Wageningen University & Research offers 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 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 19 February 2021. Two weeks after this date the first interviews will be planned, and we seek to start in May 2021.

Equal opportunities

WUR is an equal opportunity employer. We are keen to receive applications from all sufficiently qualified people, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, functional impairment, religion/life philosophy, sexual orientation, or age.

We are

Our mission is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to find solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With its roughly 30 branches, 6.500 employees and 12.500 students, we are one of the leading organisations in its domain. A coordinated approach to problems and the cooperation between various subject areas are at the heart of Wageningen’s outstanding approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020.

These are the points our employees list as good reasons to work here: read the 6 reasons to come work at WUR