[ES_JOBS_NET] Postdoctoral Researcher in AI Modeling for Agriculture and Earth System Scienc

[Licheng Liu]

Dear colleagues,

The Digital Agricultural Group at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
has two postdoc positions open for candidates to work on hybrid AI
modeling! Funded by NSF, NASA, DOE, USDA, FFAR and the industry, our group
members spread across the spectrum of process-based modeling, data-model
fusion, and algorithm development for cross-scale sensing. We are dedicated
to advancing science and technology for achieving food security and
environmental sustainability. This post is looking for candidates to work
on *AI Modeling for Agriculture and Earth System Science*.

Specifically, this postdoctoral associate will apply advanced *knowledge-guided
machine learning (KGML)*-modeling techniques to expand and enhance the
robust monitoring of cropland carbon and nutrient budgets. This involves
integrating multi-modal data (e.g. remote sensing, eddy-covariance flux
tower/chamber measurements, soil sampling),  biogeochemical/physical
process-based model, advanced AI algorithms, and top-down atmospheric
inversions. *Tasks include:* developing AI-ready benchmark datasets to aid
in the AI algorithms development/application within earth ecosystem
modeling; developing/implementing KGML-engaged framework to refine crop
land carbon budget estimates and improve management strategies across the
U.S. Heartland; conducting local, regional, and global simulations to
validate models and methodologies; collaborating with the AI-CLIMATE
institute to reduce uncertainties in national GHG inventories and develop
knowledge-guided foundation models.

This postdoctoral position will be primarily supervised by Dr. Licheng Liu
(PI of the Digital Agriculture Lab; https://umn-digitalag.com) and jointly
by Dr. John Nieber (Professor in the Department of Bioproducts and
Biosystems Engineering; https://bbe.umn.edu/people/john-nieber), through
the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and
work closely with diverse collaborators, including the University of
Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL),
 AI-CLIMATE institute and etc.

*Essential Qualifications:*
All applicants are expected to have a strong quantitative background, and
graduate from quantitative majors such as earth and atmospheric science,
computer science, hydrology, ecology, environmental science, physics, math,
statistics, or other closely related fields. Successful candidates will
need to meet one or more of the following expectations:

   - Strong programming experience (e.g., Python, Fortran, or C++) and
   familiarity with supercomputing or cloud platforms.
   - Experience with AI/deep learning beyond simple tools (e.g., Random
   Forest, ANN), particularly in integrating physical models and AI algorithms.
   - Knowledge of process-based models and data assimilation techniques.
   - Excellent skills in data visualization and communication.
   - Experience in large-scale ecosystem modeling or GHG inventory analysis.

*Logistics:*
The positions are expected to start in Spring 2025 or an earlier date. The
positions are open till filled. Competitive salary will be provided based
on experience. The positions have a funding commitment for two years, with
possibilities to renewal or promotion upon annual performance
.
*Application Process:*
Qualified candidates must send a short introduction email and CV to Dr.
Licheng Liu (lichengl at umn.edu). Qualified applicants will be immediately
reviewed upon receiving the application. For further questions related to
the application, please feel free to reach out to us.

*About the Lab:*
We are a fast-growing group who dedicate to advancing digital and
sustainable agriculture with cutting-edge science and technology. We have
rich resources from government agencies, industry partners and sufficient
funding support to explore interest-driven research questions. We look
forward to having you join us and tackle big challenges with innovation!

Best regards,
Licheng Liu

-- 
Licheng Liu (he/him/his)
Research Scientist
Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering
University of Minnesota
Tel:  +1 (765) 701 8022
Email: lichengl at umn.edu
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