Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:
The Wolter Lab at Iowa State University, in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is recruiting a Postdoctoral Researcher to work on a multi-year project supported by the USDA Forest Service.
The ultimate goal is to develop geospatial tools and products to (1) define wood source material and relative costs of extraction and (2) develop fire risk & C emission scenarios within the Kawishiwi Ranger District of the Superior National Forest as part of a fuel reduction effort to mitigate wildfire risk in this region. The overarching goal is to enable and improve decision-making and ecosystem resilience via remote sensing and terrain analysis methodologies.
The candidate’s work will involve a complete LIDAR-based mapping of small-diameter forest ladder fuels, satellite-based estimates/maps of standing forest fuel volume, and joint publication of results in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The candidate will work in collaboration with researchers from the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities & Duluth), Michigan Technological University, and the USDA Forest Service.
Required Minimum Qualifications:
PhD
Preferred Qualifications:
- Degree in Forest Biometrics, Ecosystems Monitoring, or a related field.
- Record of refereed, scientific publications.
- Experience processing Sentinel-1 (SAR) and -2 (optical) satellite sensor data.
- Experience with aerial- and ground-based LiDAR data processing.
- Programming skills including R, Python, SAS, and Matlab.
- Google Earth Engine (GEE) coding and satellite image processing experience.
- Familiarity with northern boreal forest ecosystems.
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an on-going basis without sponsorship.
Proposed Start Date:
January 1, 2025
Proposed End Date or Length of Term:
December 31, 2026
Number of Months Employed Per Year:
12 Month Work Period
Time Type:
Full time
Application Instructions:
To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:
1) Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2) Letter of Application/Cover Letter
If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.
Why Choose ISU?
Iowa State Postdocs enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental; as well as:
• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing Program
