Postdoctoral fellow within AI-Driven Digital Phenotyping for Climate-Resilient Wheat

About the position

At the Department of Plant Sciences at the Faculty of Biosciences, there is a vacant position as a postdoctoral fellow in digital phenomics for the duration of 3 years. This is a fixed-term position.

At the Faculty of Biosciences at NMBU, we offer an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher. We are seeking a committed candidate for a three-year fixed-term position funded by the Norwegian Research Council and The Research Funds for Agriculture and Food Industry (FFL/JA) as part of the SmartWheat project, SmartWheat: Harnessing AI Models for Climate-Resilient Wheat Varieties in Sustainable Agriculture, at NMBU.

The successful candidate will develop AI-driven models for the analysis of UAV-based multispectral, hyperspectral, and RGB imagery. These models will integrate crop growth models, agronomic data, and genomic information to predict key wheat traits under varying climate conditions. The position is based at NMBU and involves close collaboration with plant breeders at Graminor and industry partners, including Telia, Aersea, and Felleskjøpet.

The candidate will be expected to undertake research stays at Wageningen University & Research and gain practical plant breeding experience through collaboration with Graminor and participation in field experiments at NMBU.

The position will be part of a larger interdisciplinary research team consisting of professors, researchers, engineers, and PhD candidates. It will be primarily affiliated with the Section for Genetics, Evolution and Sustainable Plant Production at the Faculty of Biosciences, while also being closely connected to the Smart Farming Group at the Faculty of Science and Technology at NMBU.

Main tasks

• Lead the digital phenotyping activities within the SmartWheat project.
• Plan, organize, and conduct field trials and summer field activities in collaboration with the project management team.
• Develop pipelines for processing and analyzing large-scale UAV-based image datasets, including hyperspectral, multispectral, thermal, and RGB imagery.
• Develop field digital twins by integrating crop growth models, remote sensing data, genomic information, agronomic data, and artificial intelligence methods.
• Assess drought stress and identify physiological traits associated with drought tolerance using advanced imaging technologies.
• Develop machine learning and deep learning models for trait prediction and climate-resilient wheat breeding.
• Analyze time-series UAV data using crop models in combination with genomic and agronomic information.
• Collaborate closely with plant breeders, data scientists, and industry partners.
• Contribute to teaching activities in precision agriculture, digital agriculture, and agronomy at NMBU.
• Co-supervise master's students involved in the project.
• Publish research findings in high-impact scientific journals and present results at national and international conferences.

The main purpose of the post-doctoral position is to qualify for work in high-level scientific positions. A PhD degree is required.

Competence

The applicant must have a documented strong academic background relevant to the position and be able to document proficiency in both written and oral English. The applicant must document expertise and interest in the research subject.

Required Qualifications

• A PhD degree in Robotics, Data Science, Plant Science, Agronomy, Bioinformatics, Agricultural Engineering, or a related field.
• Knowledge of plant physiology.
• Strong programming skills in Python and/or R.
• Excellent scientific writing and communication skills in English.

Desired Qualifications

The following qualifications and experience will be considered an advantage:

• Experience with crop modeling.
• Experience with plant breeding.
• Background in data science, machine learning, and statistical analysis.
• Experience in remote sensing, UAV-based sensing, and plant phenotyping.
• Experience working with large-scale image datasets and artificial intelligence methods.

Personal Qualities

We are looking for a candidate who

• Is able to work independently while also contributing effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Demonstrates initiative and the ability to work in a structured, systematic, and efficient manner.
• Has excellent communication, collaboration, and dissemination skills.
• Is motivated to develop and lead research activities and contribute to scientific innovation.
• Has an interest in teaching and educational development.
• Is positive, solution-oriented, and adaptable.
• Is willing to participate in field experiments and undertake occasional travel related to the project.

Additional Requirements

• Due to the seasonal nature of field experiments, the candidate must be available for intensive fieldwork activities during the summer months. Flexibility regarding vacation planning is therefore required, as extended leave during peak fieldwork periods may be limited.

Remuneration and further information

The position is placed in position code 1352 Postdoctoral Fellow (NOK 604 900-720 000) depending on qualifications. The position follows ordinary meriting regulations.

Interested in learning more about the position? We are happy to tell you more about life on campus. Contact title: Sahameh Shafiee, phone: +4767232769, (e-mail: sahameh.shafiee@nmbu.no ).

General information for applicants

Application

Your CV must be entered in Jobbnorge's CV form and not just included as an attachment. This is in order to be able to comply with the regulations to the Public Administration Act §15.

The following must be included in the application

• Cover letter
• CV
• Copies of diplomas and other relevant certificates
• Up to ten publications selected by the applicant as most relevant must be attached to the application. If it is difficult to identify the contribution of the applicant in multiple-author publications, a short explanation about the applicant’s part of the work is suggested.

Applicants invited for an interview will be asked to present verified copies of diplomas and certificates.

Documents that cannot be sent electronically are sent in triplicate by ordinary mail marked still.nr. (Archive No. 26/06908) to NMBU, Faculty of Name, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, within (15.07.2026).

Please note that the report from the expert committee will be sent to all applicants.

About The Faculty of Biosciences

The Faculty of Biosciences (BIOVIT) aims to shape the future of food and bioproduction through teaching and research in biology and sustainable production and use of plants, livestock and fish. The faculty has a large project portfolio and an annual turnover of approximately NOK 250 million.

BIOVIT is organized into seven research groups: Genome Biology, Breeding, Genetics and Food Production Systems, Ruminant Nutrition and Physiology, Ethology and Animal Welfare, Nutrition and Physiology for Monogastric Animals, Plant Biology, Sustainable Food Systems and Integrated Plant Protection, and Genetics, Evolution and Sustainable Plant Production. Additionally, the faculty has seven research support and laboratory units.

BIOVIT is responsible for bachelor’s and master’s programs in aquaculture, biology, animal science, and plant science, as well as English-language master’s programs in Agroecology, Plant Sciences, Feed Manufacturing Technology, and Genome Sciences. BIOVIT also offers Ph.D. programs in animal science and plant science. Currently, the faculty has about 550 bachelor’s and master’s students and 90 Ph.D. students. BIOVIT employs approximately 230 staff members and has its own faculty administration.

Om arbeidsgiveren

NMBU skal bidra til å sikre fremtidens livsgrunnlag gjennom fremragende forskning, utdanning, formidling og innovasjon. Vi har landets mest fornøyde universitetsstudenter, som får forskningsbasert utdanning i et unikt studentmiljø. Våre kandidater får med seg høy kompetanse på tverrfaglig samarbeid og er populære i arbeidsmarkedet.

NMBU har internasjonalt ledende forskningsmiljøer innen flere fag. Sammen med våre partnere i samfunns- og næringslivet bidrar vi til å løse noen av de største samfunnsutfordringene i vår tid. Vi satser på innovasjon, formidling og entreprenørskap fordi vi mener disse utfordringene best løses med felles innsats.

Vi mener at et godt arbeidsmiljø preges av mangfold. Vi oppfordrer kvalifiserte kandidater til å søke uavhengig av kjønn, funksjonsevne, kulturell bakgrunn eller om du har vært utenfor arbeidslivet en periode. Vi vil legge arbeidsplassen til rette for personer med nedsatt funksjonsevne.

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