PhD position in Remote Sensing focusing on Earth System Models

Department of Forest Resource Management The Department of Forest Resource Management conducts education and research in the areas of forest planning, forest remote sensing, forest inventory and sampling, forest mathematical statistics and landscape studies. The department is also responsible for the implementation of the ongoing environmental monitoring programs the National Forest Inventory, The National Inventories of the Landscapes in Sweden, Terrestrial Habitat Monitoring and the Butterfly and Bumblebee Inventory. In total, we are about 110 employees. More information can be found here. Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at SLU at www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/ WIFORCE Research School Sweden is a country where forests have been and still are of great importance. The use and utilization of the forest is an issue where the balance between forest production and the environment is in focus. Growth in Swedish forests has declined over the past 15 years. Biodiversity and the role of forests in climate change are now key social issues that require more knowledge. In order to both sustainably use and safeguard forest biodiversity, a coherent basic science research program is needed that addresses large and complex issues and develops new analytical tools. It is against this background and in line with SLU:s investment in Future Sustainable Forest Management that the WIFORCE Research School, within the Wallenberg Initiatives in Forest Research, is established with a focus on the future sustainable use of forests. During the programme, around 50 doctoral students will be admitted to the Research School. Would you like to make a difference for the future sustainable use of forests? Apply to join WIFORCE Research School! Read more about WIFORCE here www.slu.se/en/wiforce Forest structure remote sensing information in vegetation demographic models (VDMs) and Earth System Models (ESMs) Research subject: Technology/Forest management/Biology Description The work focuses on the derivation of forest structure information from a variety of remote sensing data sources with the intention to derive useful information for vegetation demographic models (VDMs) and Earth System Models (ESM). The work is planned to involve a large span of remote sensing sources, including terrestrial laser scanning, airborne laser scanning, satellite imagery including hyperspectral (EnMAP / PRISMA), and satellite lidar (GEDI, ICESat-2). The PhD student will work in the Forest Remote Sensing group at the Department of Forest Resource Management at SLU and collaborate closely with other researchers. The work will also contribute to large European projects coordinated by SLU Division of Forest Remote sensing (FORWARDS and NextGenCarbon). Thus, the PhD work is planned to be incorporated within the work of those consortiums, and for that reason travelling within Europe is to be expected, including stays at other research institutes and universities participating in those consortia and working on the VDMs and ESMs involved. The work is carried out in English language. The research subject can be technology, forest management or biology depending on the candidate´s background. Qualifications • A master’s degree in geosciences, forest sciences, biosciences, ecology, remote sensing, physics, engineering, computer science or any relevant discipline. • Proficiency in English for communication and scientific writing. Candidates must demonstrate their ability to deliver quality written English by appending a past personal work (e.g. a master’s thesis or internal report) to their application. • Competence in remote sensing, programming, computational software, such as Matlab/R, or GIS and/or modelling are considered as merits. • Knowledge about - or experience of - forest or ecology are considered merits. Great emphasis is placed on personal qualities such as analytical and problem solving ability, ability to work independently and collaborative ability. Place of work Umeå Forms for funding or employment Employment 4 years Starting date According to agreement Application Click the “Apply” button to submit your application. The deadline is 2024-01-21. To qualify for third-cycle (Doctoral) courses and study programmes, you must have a second-cycle (Master’s) qualification. Alternatively, you must have conducted a minimum of four years of full-time study, of which a minimum of one year at second-cycle level. Applicants will be selected based on their written application and CV, degree project, copies of their degree certificate and transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution, two personal references, and knowledge of English. More information about the English language requirements can be found here Please note that applicants invited to interview must submit attested copies of their degree certificate, or equivalent, a transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution. Applicants who are not Swedish citizens need to submit an attested copy of their passport’s information page containing their photograph and personal details. Read about the PhD education at SLU Academic union representatives https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/ The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has a key role in the development for sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interaction between humans, animals and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Our main campuses are located in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, however, the university also operates at research stations, experimental forests and teaching sites throughout Sweden. SLU has around 3,000 employees, 5,000 students and doctoral students and a turnover of over SEK 3 billion. We are investing in attractive environments on all of our campuses. We strive to provide a work environment characterised by inclusivity and gender equality, where different experiences generate conversations between people and pave the way for science, creativity and development. Therefore, we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.