USDA-ARS SCINet/AI-COE Postdoctoral Fellowship in AI Analysis of UAV Imagery for Rangeland Ecology

About the role

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Range and Meadow Forage Management Research Unit in Burns, Oregon offers a postdoctoral research opportunity within the ARS SCINet/Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center of Excellence. ARS is USDA’s chief scientific in‑house research agency, dedicated to solving agricultural problems from field to table, sustaining agroecosystems, and ensuring the economic competitiveness of U.S. agriculture. The SCINet Initiative develops and applies new technologies—including AI, machine learning, and high‑performance computing—to address complex agricultural challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration. As a fellow, you will join an interdisciplinary team working on unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery collection and processing, deep learning methods, and rangeland vegetation communities in Oregon and Idaho.

Responsibilities

• Collect and process UAV imagery
• Apply and improve an existing AI pipeline to classify rangeland plant species
• Use transfer learning to adapt deep learning models for varying UAV sensors and conditions
• Identify and pursue ecological questions related to community ecology, invasive species, pollinator floral resources, restoration, and wildfire burn severity
• Receive training in data science, scientific computing, AI/ML, and related topics as needed
• Develop and publish workflows and code repositories for open‑source software related to UAV imagery processing and ecological community dynamics
• Take online courses in R, Python, and statistics
• Build collaboration and leadership skills through workshops and group experience

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship only
• Currently pursuing or have received a doctoral degree in a relevant field (Computer, Information, Data Sciences; Environmental and Marine Sciences; Life Health and Medical Sciences; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Earth and Geosciences)

Qualifications

Doctoral degree in one of the relevant disciplines listed above.

Skills

• Strong programming skills in Python or R
• Experience with remote sensing datasets, particularly UAV imagery
• Experience with publishing in peer‑reviewed journals
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently under mentor guidance and as part of an interdisciplinary team

Pay

Annual stipend range: $100,000 – $110,000 per year.

Benefits

• Supplement to offset health insurance costs
• Funding for supplies and travel essential to research
• Relocation cost assistance, if applicable

Schedule

• Full‑time appointment
• Anticipated start date: January 2027 (flexible)
• Initial appointment length: one year, renewable for a second year upon mentor and ARS recommendation