[ES_JOBS_NET] Postdoctoral Research Associate in Deep Learning in Boise Idaho or Burns Or

[Trevor Caughlin]

Postdoctoral Research AssociateDeep Learning for Ecological Remote Sensing

Boise State University
Boise, Idaho or Burns, Oregon

The Department of Biological Sciences at Boise State University invites
applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to lead the development
of next-generation deep learning methods for identifying plant species from
drone imagery. The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team
developing an open-source artificial intelligence platform for mapping
rangeland plant communities from unoccupied aerial systems (UAS). The
project combines deep learning, transfer learning, and web-based tools to
make high-resolution ecological mapping broadly accessible to researchers
and land managers.

Responsibilities

The successful applicant will play a leading role in developing deep
learning algorithms capable of identifying plants to species in UAS
imagery. Primary responsibilities include:

   -

   Developing convolutional neural networks (CNNs), object detection
   models, transfer learning approaches, and multi-temporal image analysis
   workflows.
   -

   Building open-source software and web applications that enable
   researchers and land managers to generate species maps from UAS imagery.
   -

   Publishing results in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.
   -

   Collaborating closely with ecologists, statisticians, federal
   scientists, and stakeholder organizations.

Required Qualifications

   -

   Ph.D. in Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Remote
   Sensing, Engineering, Ecology, or a closely related discipline (completed
   by the start date).
   -

   Demonstrated expertise in deep learning and computer vision.
   -

   Strong programming skills in Python.
   -

   Experience developing or implementing convolutional neural networks and
   modern deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch or TensorFlow).
   -

   Experience working with large image datasets.
   -

   Strong publication record and excellent written and verbal communication
   skills.
   -

   Ability to work both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary
   research team.

Preferred Qualifications

Preference will be given to applicants with experience in one or more of
the following areas:

   -

   Species classification, object detection, semantic segmentation, or
   transfer learning
   -

   Drone (UAS) image acquisition and processing
   -

   Structure-from-motion photogrammetry
   -

   Geospatial analyses
   -

   Development of interactive web applications or scientific software
   -

   Dryland, rangeland, or plant ecology

Applicants are not expected to have expertise in every area. We encourage
candidates with strong machine learning backgrounds who are excited about
applying their skills to ecological and environmental problems.
Salary and Appointment

   -

   Salary: $78,000 per year plus benefits.
   -

   Initial appointment is for two years, with extension possible based on
   satisfactory performance and continued funding.
   -

   Preferred start date is September 2026.

Location

The successful applicant may choose to be based in either:

   -

   Boise, Idaho, at Boise State University, or
   -

   Burns, Oregon, at the Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center.

Both locations provide opportunities for close interaction with project
collaborators. Periodic travel between Boise and Burns, as well as
occasional travel to meetings, conferences, workshops, and collaborator
institutions, will be expected.
About the Project

The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team using deep
learning and drone imagery to better understand plant communities in
dryland ecosystems of western North America. The project builds on an
extensive existing dataset consisting of tens of thousands of georeferenced
individual plants paired with high-resolution UAS imagery collected across
multiple landscapes in Idaho and Oregon, providing an exceptional
foundation for developing and testing new computer vision algorithms.

The primary objective is to develop robust deep learning approaches for
identifying individual plant species from drone imagery that generalize
across landscapes, sensors, and environmental conditions. These methods
will enable researchers to address a range of scientific questions,
including how grazing influences plant community composition, which plant
species are detectable using drone imagery, and how uncertainty in AI
predictions affects ecological inference. The project will combine advances
in computer vision, transfer learning, and statistical modeling to produce
open, reproducible tools that support both ecological research and
rangeland management.

The postdoctoral researcher will collaborate with scientists from Boise
State University, the USDA Agricultural Research Service, and the Sevilleta
Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program. The postdoctoral researcher
will be co-supervised by Dr. Trevor Caughlin (Boise State University), Dr.
Peter Olsoy (USDA ARS), and Dr. Stella Copeland (USDA ARS).

To Apply

Applicants should submit via email to trevorcaughlin at boisestate.edu with
the subject line: “Deep learning postdoctoral position”

   -

   Cover letter describing research interests and relevant experience
   -

   Curriculum vitae
   -

   Contact information for three references
   -

   Up to three representative publications or software projects

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the
position is filled.


--
Trevor Caughlin, PhD
Associate Professor
Coordinator of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior PhD Program
Boise State University
Department of Biological Sciences
Personal zoom room: https://boisestate.zoom.us/my/trevorcaughlin
caughlinlab.com



--
Trevor Caughlin, PhD
Associate Professor
Coordinator of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior PhD Program
Boise State University
Department of Biological Sciences
Personal zoom room: https://boisestate.zoom.us/my/trevorcaughlin
caughlinlab.com



-- 
Trevor Caughlin, PhD
Associate Professor
Coordinator of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior PhD Program
Boise State University
Department of Biological Sciences
Personal zoom room: https://boisestate.zoom.us/my/trevorcaughlin
caughlinlab.com
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