UW-Madison, SILVIS Lab: Several remote sensing Postdoc and PhD positions available to study land use change, agricultural abandonment, and the Caucasus
Overview: Several postdoc and PhD positions are available for two NASA funded projects. Both projects focus on land use change, and will makes extensive use of satellite data. One project will focus on land use change, especially long-term degradation of forests and grasslands in the Caucasus Mountains, analyze large amounts of satellite data, and link the observed changes to socioeconomic factors. The second project will focus on the development of methods to map agricultural abandonment, fallow fields and grasslands based on both Landsat and Sentinel-2 data. Test sites will be in Eastern Europe and across the globe. We are seeking to hire several postdocs and PhD students to contribute to these two projects. The projects are a collaboration between UW-Madison (V. Radeloff), and partners from other universities in the U.S., Europe, and the Caucasus region. Positions: We are offering the postdoctoral positions for two years. The appointments will be as a research associate. Salary is competitive and will commensurate with experience. The positions are available immediately, and we seek to fill it by September 1st 2018 at the latest. We are offering the PhD graduate assistantships for three years. The appointments will be as a research assistant with a stipend of $22,427 per year plus health benefits and tuition remission. We anticipate the PhD student to start September 1st 2018, but an earlier start date is negotiable. The university has a long history of excellence in ecology, conservation biology, remote sensing and geography. All positions will be based in the SILVIS lab (http://silvis.forest.wisc.edu/) and supervised by V. Radeloff. The SILVIS lab is part of the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. PhD students will be enrolled in the Forestry Program, the no.-1 ranked forestry PhD graduate program in the U.S.! UW-Madison ranks consistently among the top research universities in the United States. Total student enrollment is 43,000 of which approximately 12,000 are graduate and professional students, and there are over 2000 faculty. UW-Madison is an exciting place to learn and conduct research! The city of Madison ranks as one of the most attractive places in the U.S. to live and work. For information about campus and city, please see http://www.wisc.edu/about/ Qualifications: For all positions, we seek candidates who work well in a collaborative setting and have excellent communication skills in English. Additional language skills are a plus. We welcome applications from candidates with a background in geography, ecology, environmental science, forestry, computer science, or other related disciplines. Demonstrated skills in the processing and handling of satellite imagery, large datasets, statistical modeling, and GIS are essential and expected. Knowledge of land use science, landscape ecology, and Eastern Europe/the Caucasus region is a plus, but is not required. Applicants for the post-doc positions must have completed their Ph.D. at the time of appointment and should have published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Applicants for the PhD student positions must have a completed a BS by the time of appointment, and a completed MS degree is desirable, but candidates with equivalent experience will be considered. Prior publications are not required for PhD student applicants, but desirable. To apply: Please submit your application here: https://uwmadison.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bd8uKWzgkvzqGTH Please note that submitting an application includes filling out a small survey, and takes approximately 15 minutes. It also requires contact information for three references and to upload (in PDF format): - a 2-page cover letter summarizing research interests and experiences - a Curriculum Vitae - unofficial transcripts (both undergraduate and graduate, compiled into one file) After reviewing all applicants, we will ask for reference letters and official transcripts for shortlisted candidates. The positions are open to both U.S. citizens, and international candidates. UW-Madison will assist with visa applications as necessary once offers are made. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. Review of applicants will begin immediately, but the positions will remain open until suitable candidates are found. Applications received by February 28th 2018 are guaranteed consideration.
