Postdoctoral Research Associate
Texas A&M AgriLife Research
Summary
Texas A&M AgriLife Research at Temple is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate with expertise in precision agriculture technologies, digital soil mapping/pedometrics, proximal/remote sensing, and geospatial modeling. The ideal candidate will work and collaborate closely within a research team at Texas A&M AgriLife and USDA-ARS laboratories to advance precision conservation in cropping systems with diverse management, delivering practical soil and agronomic information for decision-making at the subfield, farm, and regional levels.
Job description
Responsibilities
The selected candidate will combine field observations with proximal sensing, UAV and satellite imagery, yield monitor data, and soil, environmental, and weather datasets to create soil and agronomic intelligence products that guide precision management at the sub-field level and inform conservation decisions. The role includes integrating multi-source datasets, analyzing yield stability over time, building and validating ML/AI-based prediction models, creating field zones tied to management actions supported by farm economics, and developing scaling-up solutions for different management scenarios. The researcher will develop profit–risk–environment tradeoff products, build reusable R/Python workflows, and publish and present results in collaboration with USDA-ARS and university partners across Texas and the U.S. In addition, leading and co-authoring peer-reviewed scientific publications, as well as actively contributing to proposal development, are key responsibilities. Performs other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Soil Science, Agronomy, Agricultural Engineering, Geosciences, Environmental Sciences, or a closely related discipline.
- Strong background in data-intensive soil and agronomic analytics and geospatial modeling.
- Proficiency in proximal sensing, GIS, and remote sensing.
- Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.
Preferred Qualifications
- Advanced ML/AI experience in digital soil mapping/pedometrics and soil landscape modeling, and in handling high-resolution geospatial and temporal datasets.
- Demonstrated experience with precision agriculture data/tools (yield monitor data, spatial variability, management zones, ECa/EMI, LiDAR, VisNIR, and UAV workflows).
- Proficiency in programming languages (R or Python) for automated reproducible workflows.
- Knowledge, experience, and interest in assessing the impacts of management practices on environmental outcomes, such as soil health diagnostics, water quality, carbon/nitrogen cycling, and profit–risk–environment tradeoff products.
- Excellent academic record, including authored/co-authored publications and contributions to significant scientific meetings, seminars, and conferences.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
Requirements
- Ph.D. in Soil Science, Agronomy, Agricultural Engineering, Geosciences, Environmental Sciences, or a closely related discipline.
- Strong background in data-intensive soil and agronomic analytics and geospatial modeling.
- Proficiency in proximal sensing, GIS, and remote sensing.
- Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.
- Advanced ML/AI experience in digital soil mapping/pedometrics and soil landscape modeling, and in handling high-resolution geospatial and temporal datasets.
- Demonstrated experience with precision agriculture data/tools (yield monitor data, spatial variability, management zones, ECa/EMI, LiDAR, VisNIR, and UAV workflows).
- Proficiency in programming languages (R or Python) for automated reproducible workflows.
- Knowledge, experience, and interest in assessing the impacts of management practices on environmental outcomes, such as soil health diagnostics, water quality, carbon/nitrogen cycling, and profit–risk–environment tradeoff products.
- Excellent academic record, including authored/co-authored publications and contributions to significant scientific meetings, seminars, and conferences.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Long-term Disability Insurance
- Annual Paid Holidays
- Paid Sick Leave
- Paid Vacation
- Teacher Retirement System of Texas Enrollment
- Employee Wellness Initiative
Company overview
Texas A&M AgriLife Research is the premier agricultural and life sciences research agency of the State of Texas and a key component of the Texas A&M University System. Established in 1887 as the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, the agency was rebranded in 2008 to better reflect its comprehensive mission in agriculture and life sciences. With headquarters in College Station, Texas, the organization operates 15 research centers across the state, serving all 254 Texas counties. The agency employs over 400 doctoral-level scientists and maintains an annual budget exceeding $216 million. Texas A&M AgriLife Research conducts groundbreaking research across diverse scientific disciplines including crop science, livestock genetics, natural resource management, food safety, and biotechnology. The organization has made significant contributions to agricultural innovation, including developing the world's largest gene-mapping resources for beef cattle, pioneering mechanical cotton harvesting technology, and creating disease-resistant crop varieties. As part of the land-grant mission, the agency focuses on translating scientific discoveries into practical applications that benefit Texas producers, consumers, and the environment while addressing global challenges in food security and sustainable agriculture.