Postdoctoral Research Associate (Spatial Agricultural Modelling)

• Full time, 3 years fixed term opportunity. Located at the Faculty of Science on the Eveleigh Campus
• Opportunity to join a successful and innovative team in agricultural modelling/precision agriculture
• Base Salary Level A, $105,350 – $112,462 p.a. + 17% superannuation

About the opportunity

The Faculty of Science is welcoming applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate (Spatial Agricultural Modelling) to join the team and to work on a Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) funded project in Precision Agriculture (PA) in dryland cropping systems.

The position is located within the Precision Agriculture Laboratory and will work with an innovative team led by Prof. Thomas Bishop and Dr. Patrick Filippi. The position will work in partnership with the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI), and Southern Cross University (SCU). The successful candidate will use a combination of mechanistic and data-driven modelling to predict crop yield and crop yield potential, and better understand the impact of soil properties, climate, and management on crops. There will also be opportunities to collaborate and work on other funded research projects in the precision agriculture and agricultural modelling space.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to be part of a successful team advancing spatial agricultural modelling approaches and tools in PA management, while also fostering strong working relationships with a national network of stakeholders including growers, researchers, and commercial advisors.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• liaise with project partners and stakeholders
• use mechanistic modelling to spatialise crop yield predictions under a variety of data input scenarios
• use data-driven models and machine learning to better understand the spatio-temporal impact of soil properties, weather, management, and residual herbicides on crops
• publish research in peer reviewed publications
• help manage the project to ensure the delivery of project milestones.

To learn more about the School of Life and Environmental Sciences (SOLES), click here.

About you

The University values courage and creativity; openness and engagement; inclusion and diversity; and respect and integrity. As such, we see the importance of recruiting talent aligned to these values and are looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate (Spatial Agricultural Modelling) who has:

• a PhD (or near completion) in precision agriculture, crop modelling, remote sensing, computer science or other quantitative disciplines
• expertise in data-centric languages such as R and/or Python
• expertise in analysis of spatial data such as remote sensing, and/or ‘on-farm’ data such as yield maps
• preferred expertise in mechanistic modelling such as crop simulation models (e.g. APSIM, DSSAT), or other agriculture-related simulation models (e.g. soil carbon models such as Roth-C)
• preferred expertise in machine learning/AI and/or statistical modelling
• a track record of publications in peer-reviewed journals
• experience in liaising with industry stakeholders/farmers and managing projects involving multiple people and/or organisations.

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Pre-employment checks

Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role required pre-employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values include diversity and inclusion and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community which reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this commitment through our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTIQ. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

How to apply

Please address the selection criteria in your application (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) which can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page.

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For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Kevin Lim, Recruitment Operations by email to recruitment.sea@sydney.edu.au.