University of South-Eastern Norway

University of South-Eastern Norway has about 18 000 students and about 1500 employees. The university is organized in four faculties, with instruction and R&D activities on eight campuses. The main profile of the university is to provide socially relevant education, geared towards specific professions, and adapted to the requirements of the workplace, as well as to produce applied research and development.

About the position

The Faculty of Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences has a vacancy for a position as PhD Research Fellow in machine learning and image analysis from 01.08.2019

The position provides an active research setting that covers various aspects of machine learning and image analysis. The work will be with Remote Sensing data and applications within (landscape) ecology , in a collaboration with the Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health. The research group has a strong international network, and shorter stays at collaborating institutions abroad is expected. The place of employment is at campus Porsgrunn.

Qualifications

Applicants must have a Master’s degree or equivalent higher education qualifications in Artificial intelligence, Computer Science, Cybernetics or related fields. Additional qualifications within environmental sciences is an advantage. The applicant must have gained the degree within June 2019. Applicants already holding a PhD will not be considered.

Candidates with a strong background in programming with focus on signal processing and data fusion related to image analytics are particularly suitable for this research position. Required skills include minimum one of the following disciplines: machine learning, image processing, cybernetic modelling, spatial and temporal statistics. Good command of English for written and oral communication is also mandatory. Knowledge in ecology and in the use of GIS / remote sensing applications is desirable.

It is a requirement that the successful applicant is granted admission to the university’s doctoral programme in Process, Energy and Automation Engineering.

Co-operation between staff members is an integrated part of the working atmosphere at the University of South-Eastern Norway. The candidate must be motivated and demonstrate a proven ability to work effectively within a team and in a collegiate manner to formulate and realise common objectives.

Personal suitability for the position will be emphasized.

Information about the position

This PhD position is part of a project that explores the potential of using remote sensing to map and monitor natural ecosystems in space and time, when combined with novel methodologies more capable of analysing large data volumes. In 2006, a national program, using digital 4-channels aerial photos in a 6-8 years rotation, started to monitor the Norwegian mainland. A similar national program use airborne LiDAR scanning (ALS) to improve 3D-data. Combined with the freely available 35-year record of earth observation data from Landsat, and recently also data from the Sentinel-satellites, these ‘big data’ hold unique potential to very efficiently quantify, in a detailed wall-to-wall context, spatial and temporal land-use changes.

Natural ecosystems cover large areas, form complex landscape patterns, and may undergo rapid changes, both natural and man-made. The big volume of remote sensing data represents a unique, and until now largely unexploited, data source for detailed resource mapping and dynamic monitoring of changes in these landscapes . Development of automated models that utilize recentinnovations in pattern recognition will provide for a knowledge base necessary for better and more pro-active and dynamic management of such natural ecosystems.

Data for use in satellite time-series analysis is not yet in place, and the applicant may need to explore the recently developed data-cube technology or similar approaches to make consistent time-series.

With this background, the overall aims of this PhD project are to:

(1) explore the potential for combining remote sensing data at different spatial and temporal scales to increase precision and frequency in resource mapping of natural ecosystems,

(2) develop methods to automate such mapping and monitoring, and by that

(3) lay a foundation for a more knowledge-based and efficient understanding and management of natural resources.

The appointment is for a term of three years with no teaching duties or four years with 25% teaching duties.

For further information concerning the position please contact Professor Marius Lysaker marius.lysaker@usn.no, phone +47 35 57 51 63 at the Department of Process, Energy and Environmental Technology

We offer

• A professionally stimulating working environment.
• Good opportunities to develop your career and your academic skills
• A good social environment
• Attractive welfare benefits in the State Pension Plan
• Opportunity for physical activities within working hours

Salary

PhD Research Fellow (code 1017): NOK 449 400 a year. Further promotion will be based on service in the position. In special cases, employment in code 1378 may be considered. Salary NOK 449 400 – 607 700 a year. A statutory contribution will be made from the employee’s salary to the state pension plan.

Additional information

Appointment to the position will be carried out by The Appointments Board for PhD Research Fellows. An expert assessment of applicants will be carried out. Short-listed candidates will be called in for interviews and must be prepared to present and discuss their projects.

The successful applicant must comply with the laws, regulations and agreements that apply to the position.

As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

There are few women employed in research positions at the Department, and consequently women/men are especially encouraged to apply.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information act § 25 2 paragraph, information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, even though the applicant has requested non-disclosure. The applicant will be informed if his/her request has been declined.

How to apply

University of South-Eastern Norway uses online applications. We therefore ask applicants to register their application and CV online by clicking on the “Send application” link. The application must include the following documents:

• Certified diplomas and certificates from university college/university
• Master’s thesis
• A 5-page (maximum) project description
• Any scientific publications and a list of these
• Three references (contact information)

Please note that all documents must be translated into English or a Scandinavian language by an authorized translator.

Send application