Post-Doctoral Associate

A Post-doctoral Associate position is available for an ambitious researcher to join an innovative NASA-funded project led by Dr. Di Yang in the Department of Geography at the University of Florida to begin in July 2025. This cutting-edge research integrates historical satellite imagery, modern LiDAR data, and citizen science to unravel the complex relationships between land use changes and fire regimes over the past 60 years.

The successful candidate will lead efforts to:

• Develop advanced deep learning algorithms for classifying historical CORONA satellite imagery
• Integrate multi-source datasets including GEDI LiDAR and GLOBE citizen science observations
• Apply cutting-edge geospatial and statistical modeling techniques to quantify land use-fire regime relationships
• Contribute to the development of predictive models for future fire risk under various climate and land use scenarios

This position offers an exceptional opportunity to work at the forefront of environmental remote sensing, leveraging unique datasets and advanced computational methods to address critical questions in land change science and fire ecology.

The position is renewable for up to two years, with potential for extension based on performance and funding availability.

About the University of Florida

A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), the University of Florida is the state’s oldest and most comprehensive land-, sea-, and space-grant university, with an enrollment of over 50,000 students. In 2025, the University of Florida was ranked the seventh-best public university in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, with exceptional research, teaching, and a university-wide commitment to viewpoint diversity and open intellectual discourse. 

The University and greater Gainesville communities enjoy a diversity of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities. Gainesville is a vibrant city with a low cost of living, diverse population, excellent public schools, Division I NCAA sports, and no state income tax. The area is known for its nature parks, bike trails, sporting events, museums, mild winters, and warm summers. Being centrally located in Florida makes Gainesville easily situated for day trips to beautiful beaches along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and to theme parks, as well as the nearby cities of Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and St. Augustine. Learn more about what Gainesville has to offer at https://www.visitgainesville.com.

The salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, and the compensation includes a full benefits package. To see more, visit, benefits.hr.ufl.edu.

 Ph.D. in Remote Sensing, Geography, Environmental Science, Computer Science, or a closely related field

• Strong programming skills in Python or R
• Experience with machine learning and deep learning applied to geospatial data
• Demonstrated ability to process and analyze large remote sensing datasets
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Experience with historical satellite imagery, particularly declassified data
• Familiarity with LiDAR data processing, especially GEDI
• Knowledge of fire ecology and land use change processes
• Experience with Google Earth Engine or other cloud-based geospatial platforms
• Experience with citizen science or crowdsourced data integration
• Proficiency in statistical modeling and time series analysis

For full consideration, applications must be submitted online. Click on Apply Now at the top of this posting A complete application includes (1) a letter of application summarizing the applicant's qualifications, interests, and suitability for the position, (2) a complete curriculum vitae, (3) a statement on research goals, and (4) a list of three references. After initial review, letters of recommendation will be requested from the references for selected applicants. 

Applications will be reviewed beginning February 15, 2025, and the position will remain open until filled. Only complete applications will be reviewed at this time. Applications received after this date may be considered at the discretion of the committee and/or hiring authority. 

All candidates for employment are subject to a pre-employment screening which includes a review of criminal records, reference checks, and verification of education. 

The selected candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an educational institution outside of the United States require evaluation by a professional credentialing service provider approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/. 

The University of Florida is committed to promoting an environment that welcomes all abilities, classes, ethnicities/races, gender identities and expressions. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service.