Postdoctoral Researcher

About the Role

The Advanced Forestry Systems Laboratory (AFSL) at Oregon State University is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Scholar to develop next-generation autonomous under-canopy drone systems for precision forestry. The research focuses on enabling UAVs to operate autonomously in GNSS-denied forest environments using advanced robotics, AI, and multi-sensor perception.

Research Focus

• Autonomous UAV navigation in forest environments
• Visual-LiDAR-Inertial SLAM
• AI-based perception and obstacle avoidance
• Sensor fusion (LiDAR, cameras, IMU, GNSS)
• Forest digital twins and 3D mapping
• Autonomous forest inventory and environmental monitoring

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Forestry Engineering, Remote Sensing, AI, or a related field.
• Strong programming skills in C++ and Python.
• Experience with ROS2, autonomous robotics, or UAV systems.

Qualifications

Experience in one or more of the following:

• Computer Vision (OpenCV, Deep Learning)
• LiDAR/Visual SLAM
• AI and Machine Learning (PyTorch or TensorFlow)
• Sensor Fusion and State Estimation
• PX4/ArduPilot and autonomous flight systems

Preferred Qualifications

• Under-canopy UAV navigation
• LiDAR point cloud processing
• NVIDIA Jetson or edge AI computing
• Outdoor robotics and field experiments
• Scientific publications in robotics, AI, or autonomous systems

Benefits

• Develop cutting-edge autonomous drone technologies for forestry.
• Access state-of-the-art UAV, LiDAR, and sensing platforms.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary researchers in robotics, AI, and precision forestry.
• Publish high-impact research and contribute to nationally and internationally funded projects.