Research Assistant Position in AI for Forest Damage Mapping

Department of Forest Resource Management

Are you interested in forest remote sensing and want to work closely with current research in the field?

About the position

We are looking for a research assistant within the area of forest remote sensing. The assistant will work in research projects developing remote sensing techniques to estimate forest productivity and tree physiology under climatic stressors. Duties include e.g. post-processing of multispectral drone images, tree crown segmentation, spectral analysis from drone images and satellite images, fieldwork and processing field data, data management, data visualization, scientific writing etc. The candidate will work in close cooperation with researchers in the projects.

Your profile

The applicant must hold a master's degree in Forestry, Engineering, or a relevant area, possess a valid driving license in Sweden, and be fluent in English for communication purposes. Experiences in analyzing hyperspectral images from satellite and drone, field data collection on photosynthesis and related parameters, and scientific programming are required. The applicant must be able to start working at SLU Umeå from November 1, 2025. Merits include experience in processing carbon flux data, forest productivity estimation and tree physiology monitoring estimation using remote sensing, as well as scientific training, research proposal writing, and publishing scientific results in peer-reviewed journals. Great emphasis is placed on personal qualities such as independence, good problem-solving skills, teamwork, and the ability to learn.

About us

The Department of Forest Resource Management conducts education and research in the areas of forest planning, forest remote sensing, forest inventory and sampling, forest mathematical statistics and landscape studies. The department is also responsible for the implementation of the ongoing environmental monitoring programs the National Forest Inventory, The National Inventories of the Landscapes in Sweden, Terrestrial Habitat Monitoring and the Butterfly and Bumblebee Inventory. In total, we are about 110 employees.

More information can be found here.

Read more about our benefits and working at SLU by visiting: https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/

Location

Umeå

Form of employment

 

Fixed-term employment 6 months, with the possibility of extension.

 

Scope

100%

Start date

2025-11-01 or as agreed

Application

Please submit your application before deadline 29 October 2025. You can submit your application by clicking the button below.

Union representatives

https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/

 

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has a key role in the development for sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interaction between humans, animals and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Our main campuses are located in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, however, the university also operates at research stations, experimental forests and teaching sites throughout Sweden. SLU has around 3,000 employees, 5,000 students and doctoral students and a turnover of over SEK 3 billion. We are investing in attractive environments on all of our campuses. We strive to provide a work environment characterised by inclusivity and gender equality, where different experiences generate conversations between people and pave the way for science, creativity and development. Therefore, we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.