PostDoc on developing daily soil-moisture maps for forest management

Department of Forest Ecology and Management 
The Swedish University of Agricultural Science, the Department of Forest Ecology and Management, is seeking outstanding candidates for a postdoc position in hydrological mapping with a focus on temporal variability in soil moisture. The research group is led by PI docent Anneli Ågren. The project is a collaboration between several projects linked to environmental monitoring and collaboration with agencies such as Swedish Geological Survey and the Swedish Forest Agency. The department includes about 100 people of which 11 are professors. Our mission is to advance the understanding of forest ecosystem processes and to progress the principles of forest ecosystem management. For more information: http://www.slu.se/en/departments/forest-ecology-management/

Project background and aims:

Forest management carried out close to streams and lakes, may increase the export of sediments, mercury and nutrients to downstream environments. Buffers and machine free areas near streams and lakes are commonly used to protect surface waters and mitigate excess leaching of unwanted substances to the sea. However, implementing these protective measures in practice can be complicated due to insufficient planning basis. In Sweden a novel planning base is the SLU soil moisture map, providing a highly detailed map (2*2 m resolution) of the average soil moisture. However, there is a daily variability in the soil moisture driven by weather conditions. Daily time series for soil moisture is available at plot scale (or a few sites) or using satellites covering large areas but with low spatial resolution. This Post-doc aims to merge the high resolution maps of soil moisture with the temporal variability in soil moisture to generate a dynamic map which changes with the weather. With dynamic soil moisture maps the planning of off-road driving, bioenergy extraction or design of forest buffers can be improved and thereby reduce the export of unwanted substances to the sea. This Post Doc project aims at scaling up the dynamic mapping from demo areas with the long term aim of testing and implementation on a national scale.

Duties: 
The main aim of the project is to develop the next generation of soil moisture maps – dynamic maps - by combining temporal datasets with the state-of-the-art SLU soil moisture map.

Qualifications:  

The project is interdisciplinary in its nature and the doctoral degree could be in soil science, computer science, biostatistics or a subject relevant for the position. Experience with the following topics is considered a merit:

1) Geographical information systems, 2) Demonstrable knowledge with programing mainly R and Python, 3) Experience with remote sensing techniques and time-series, 4) Good statistics or math skills, 5) Experience with hydrological mapping and modelling. It’s a merit to able to show good collaboration skills as well as working independently. Since research is conducted in an international research environment, the ability to collaborate and contribute to teamwork, and a very good command of the English language, both written and spoken, are key requirements.

As postdoctoral appointments are career-developing positions for junior researchers, we are primarily looking for candidates with a doctoral degree that is three years old at most.


Place of work:
Umeå

Form of employment:
Temporary employment 24 months, with a possibility of a prolongation up to 12 months.

Extent:
100%

Starting date:
May 1 2022 or according to agreement.

Application:
We welcome your application no later than February 28 2022, use the button below.

The application should contain the following two items written in English: 1) a cover letter describing yourself, your motivation for applying for the position, and a short description of what you want to work on during the post doc position, and why; (maximum 1 A4 page) 2) a CV describing your education, publications, and relevant work experience; and 3) a list of names and contact information for two references. 4) PhD certificate.

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



The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) is a world-class international university with research, education and environmental assessment within the sciences for sustainable life. Its principal sites are in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, but activities are also conducted at research stations, experimental parks and educational establishments throughout Sweden. We bring together people who have different perspectives, but they all have one and the same goal: to create the best conditions for a sustainable, thriving and better world.

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.

www.slu.se