Postdoctoral Researcher/Project Researcher, Forest Inventory - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The University of Eastern Finland is inviting applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher/Project Researcher position in Forest Inventory at the School of Forest Sciences on the Joensuu Campus. The position will be filled for a fixed term from 1 October 2024 (or as agreed, no later than 1 January 2025) to 31 August 2028.

Please find more information below and submit your application no later than 29 August 2024.

Role and salary

We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher/Project Researcher to conduct research in our Forest Mensuration research group (www-page). The person appointed to this position will be enrolled in a project “Transferable models for remote sensing of forest biomass with spaceborne lidar” funded by the Academy of Finland. The project aims to develop methods for the estimation of above-ground biomass of Northern European forests, especially using ICESat-2 spaceborne lidar data.

The duties of the Postdoctoral Researcher/Project Researcher will include

• processing and analysis of remotely sensed and field data sets that are relevant to the project,
• responsibility for authoring scientific publications related to the project’s findings,
• collaboration with international and domestic research partners.

Our project develops new methods for remote sensing of forest above-ground biomass. We will use satellite lidar sensors to provide regional estimates of biomass and its change 2003–2027 for the entire European boreal forest zone. Satellite lidars can directly measure tree heights and forest canopy densities. Statistical models are used to convert these measurements into accurate estimates of biomass. Special attention is paid to model transferability, which guarantees that the predictions are reliable for different types of forests. Regional estimates of biomass change and its components are calculated for the Nordic and Baltic countries, as well as European Russia. Our project will help to improve and harmonize the quality of European forest resource information.

The position will be filled for a fixed term, from 1 October 2024 (or starting date as agreed, but no later than 1 January 2025) to 31 August 2028, due to it pertaining to a specific project task. A probationary period is applied to all new members of the staff. 

The salary of the position is determined in accordance with the salary system of the Finnish universities. The salary comprises two components: a job-related salary element and a personal salary element. In this position, the job-related salary element is EUR 3,213.55 /month, based on level 5 of the job requirement chart for teaching and research staff. The personal salary element ranges to a maximum of 50% of the above-mentioned sum. Depending on the personal salary element, the salary will be approximately EUR 3,730-3,925 /month at the beginning of the employment.

Our requirements and expectations

Requirements:

• The person to be appointed as Postdoctoral Researcher or as Project Researcher is expected to hold a doctoral degree in a relevant discipline, such as forest sciences, geography, geoinformatics, statistics, computer science, or other natural or engineering sciences.

If the person to be appointed has received a doctoral degree less than five years ago at the time of accepting the position (a net period of time, which does not include parental leaves, military service etc.), the position is filled as a Postdoctoral Researcher. If the person to be appointed has received a doctoral degree more than five years ago, the position will be filled as a Project Researcher.

Persons graduating with a doctoral degree by the end of September and whose doctoral thesis topic is particularly relevant to this call will also be considered eligible to apply.

• Good skills in oral and written English.
• Experience in processing of remotely sensed data.
• Programming skills in R language.
• Willingness to engage in work trips to the United States.

The following will be considered an advantage:

• Experience in working with ICESat-2 spaceborne lidar data and high-performance computing.
• Strong skills in statistical modelling and machine learning.
• Publications in leading scientific journals in the field of remote sensing.

Your benefits

You will have access to the university’s staff benefits, including

• opportunity for flexible multi-location work
• extensive occupational health care
• broad selection of staff training
• staff discount on lunch in our campus restaurants, as well as on a range of other services
• affordable sports services and tax-free bike benefit

Please read more in the Work at UEF section on our website.

You will have an opportunity to work in an interesting, meaningful and diverse role as part of our international, creative, participatory and inclusive academic community.

Enjoy your life in Finland! Known for its cleanliness, welfare know-how, modern technology and superb education system, Finland is an exotic and safe country to work in. Please visit the Life in Finland section to learn more.

How to apply?

Submit your application by using our electronic application form no later than 29 August 2024 by 24:00 (midnight) Finnish time (UTC+3).

Please note that you must include the following appendices in your application:

• CV (Template for CV, www-page, but also other styles will be accepted),
• a list of publications (instructions, www-page)
• copies of your academic degree certificates / diplomas, and copies of certificates / diplomas relating to your language proficiency, if not indicated in the academic degree certificates/diplomas,
• a motivation letter in English (max one page), in which please describe your motivation and suitability for the position,
• other documents you wish to include to demonstrate your merits for the position (maximum 3 pages).

If your diploma is not in English, Finnish or Swedish, an official English translation must be provided. All translations must be issued either by the awarding educational institution or an authorised translator. Each page of the official translation must bear the translator’s stamp and/or signature. Official translations must be accurate translations of the original documents. Translations made by the applicants themselves are not accepted.

Questions?

For further information on the position, please contact Senior Researcher Lauri Korhonen, email: lauri.korhonen@uef.fi, tel. +358 29 4453170.

For further information on the application procedure, please contact HR Specialist Iiris Korhonen, e-mail: iiris.korhonen@uef.fi, tel. +358 29 4458161.