Phd student, laser scanning forest

Department of Forest Resource Management
The Department of Forest Resource Management conducts teaching and research in the areas of Forest Remote Sensing, Mathematical Statistics Applied to Forest Sciences, Forest Inventory and Sampling, Forest Planning and Landscape Studies. The Department is also responsible for several environmental monitoring and assessment programs, including the Swedish National Forest Inventory, National Inventory of Landscapes in Sweden, Terrestrial Habitat Monitoring and the Butterfly and Bumblebee Inventory. The work done by the Department combines research and environmental analysis in cross-disciplinary projects, which gives unique opportunities to develop holistic approaches for a sustainable use of the natural resources. At the Department there are approximately 100 employees. For more information visit: https://www.slu.se/en/departments/forest-resource-management/

New methods for laser scanning of forest
Description:
We are looking for a PhD student who will work in a collaborative project between SLU and the forest company Stora Enso. The project is part of a strategic cooperation between SLU and Stora Enso, which means that the PhD student will be part of a group that includes newly employed PhD students and post docs at the faculty (see https://www.slu.se/en/faculties/s/research/storaenso-collab/). 3D data from new sensors makes it possible to automatically measure trees in the forest. The PhD student will work with new remote sensing methods, which combine high-resolution airborne laser scanning with mobile laser scanning for estimation of tree attributes, for example deep learning methods for tree species identification. The PhD project will be carried out in cooperation with the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI). This PhD position is at SLU in Umeå but includes visits to the FGI in Finland. The position includes 6-12 months localisation at Stora Enso with the possibility to work with development projects in a more operational environment.  

Qualifications:
The applicant has an MSc in Engineering degree, or similar, or Msc in Forestry degree. Knowledge of machine learning, signal analysis, statistics, numerical programming and remote sensing is a merit. It is an advantage if you are interested in forest and nature. Knowledge of the forest sector in Sweden and / or Finland is a merit. Personal qualities like ability to cooperate, analytical and problem-solving ability, and ability to work independently are important. It is required that you have good ability to read, write and speak English.

Place of work:      
Umeå

Forms for funding or employment:
5 Years (6-12 months at Stora Enso)

Starting date:
According to agreement.

Application:
We welcome your application no later than 1st of June 2020.

A person has basic eligibility for third cycle education if he or she has taken a second cycle qualification or has completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, including at least 60 higher education credits at second cycle education. Upper secondary school grades equivalent to English B/English 6 are a basic requirement.

Selection among applicants meeting the requirements is made with reference to written application including curriculum vitae, copies of degrees and transcripts of academic records, one copy of the dissertation for masters or undergraduate degree, a list of at least two references familiar with the applicant's qualifications, certified knowledge of the English language and an interview.

Please observe that applicant/s chosen to participate in an interview shall hand in certified true copies of certificates, diplomas and transcripts from previous studies at an internationally recognized higher education institution (university or university college) and transcripts in connection to the interview. If the applicant is a foreign citizen we require a certified copy of the page in your passport with your personal data and photography.

Read about the PhD education at SLU at www.slu.se/en/education/postgraduate-studies/

Academic union representatives:
https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/



The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) develops the understanding and sustainable use and management of biological natural resources. The university ranks well internationally within its subject areas. SLU is a research-intensive university that also offers unique degree programmes in for example rural development and natural resource management, environmental economics, animal science and landscape architecture.

SLU has just over 3,000 employees, 5,000 students and a turnover of SEK 3 billion. The university has invested heavily in a modern, attractive environment on its campuses in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala.

www.slu.se

SLU is an equal opportunity employer.