Industry-/collaboration PhD student in optimized off-road driving in forests

Department of Forest Ecology and Management

WIFORCE Research School

Do you want to contribute to the future sustainable use of forests? Apply to join WIFORCE Research School! Biodiversity and the role of forests in climate change are now key social issues that require more knowledge. In order to both sustainably use and safeguard forest biodiversity, a coherent basic science research program is needed that addresses large and complex issues and develops new analytical tools. That’s why the WIFORCE Research School, part of the Wallenberg Initiatives in Forest Research (https://www.slu.se/WIFORCE/en), was created. 

Name of research project/thesis:

Industry-/collaboration PhD student in optimized off-road driving in forests

Research subject:

Soil science

Description:

We are looking for an industry/collaboration-based PhD student to develop a dynamic soil moisture map that reflects weather changes. By developing digital dynamic soil moisture maps, decision support systems for route planning can be used to optimize the balance between forest production and environmental considerations and facilitate driving on forest land in extremely dry or wet conditions. We will develop different tools. First, we will model soil moisture in the upper soil layer, which is crucial for rutting, using machine learning. Second, we will develop new systems to integrate data from radar and lidar sensors mounted on drones and forestry machines to improve future real-time decision support systems, validated against field measurements.

The doctoral studies will be performed at the Department of Forest Ecology and Management at SLU in Umeå. The PhD student will have a permanent position with the company Komatsu Forest AB, in Umeå. The doctoral student supervisory team will include Anneli Ågren (Researcher, SLU) and Mattias Nyström and Peter Assarsson at Komatsu Forest AB.

You will be part of a research group that develops new, high-quality, high-resolution digital maps using AI. Our AI models use high-resolution digital elevation models from airborne laser scanning to calculate topographic indices as environmental variables for mapping, and satellite data for weather.

The doctoral student will be part of a broad research group with expertise in GIS, AI, soil science, forest ecology and silviculture, which provides good conditions for scientific exchange and discussion.  

Read more about WIFORCE and its Research School here: https://www.slu.se/WIFORCE/en

The department includes about 115 people of which 9 are professors. Our mission is to advance the understanding of forest ecosystems and how these should be managed today and in the future. For more information: http://www.slu.se/en/departments/forest-ecology-management/

Read more about Komatsu Forest AB: 

www.komatsuforest.com 

 

Qualifications:

The qualifications required for this position are:

• Master's degree in a relevant field (forest engineering, computer science, physics engineering, or equivalent)
• Programming skills in Python or another language
• Strong work ethic
• Fluency in English, with the ability to write, communicate, and interact in an English-speaking environment

Meriting qualifications: 

• Experience in performing spatial analyses (GIS) 
• Experience working with large databases 
• Experience working independently and organizing one’s own work schedule 
• Experience successfully working in a team 
• Fluency in Swedish  

Place of work:      

Umeå

Forms for funding or employment:

• Doctoral studies at SLU with 80% study activity and 20% work at Komatsu Forest AB under 5 years.
• Permanent position at Komatsu Forest AB in Umeå.  

Starting date:

According to agreement. 

Application:

Click the “Apply” button to submit your application. The deadline is 2025-08-12

The following must be attached to the application:

 Letter describing yourself and showing your motivation for applying for this position (max. 2 pages, in English)

 Master thesis

 CV, including date of graduation, list of published works and names and contact details of two references

 Copy of diploma, as well as other relevant certificates.

To qualify for third-cycle (Doctoral) courses and study programmes, you must have a second-cycle (Master’s) qualification. Alternatively, you must have conducted a minimum of four years of full-time study, of which a minimum of one year at second-cycle level.

Applicants will be selected based on their written application and CV, degree project, copies of their degree certificate and transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution, two personal references, and knowledge of English. More information about the English language requirements can be found here: https://www.slu.se/en/education/programmes-courses/doctoral-studies/application-admission-doctoral-studies/

Please note that applicants invited to interview must submit attested copies of their degree certificate, or equivalent, a transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution. Applicants who are not Swedish citizens need to submit an attested copy of their passport’s information page containing their photograph and personal details.

Read about the PhD education at SLU at www.slu.se/en/education/programmes-courses/doctoral-studies/

Academic 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.