[visionlist] Postdoctoral research associate in computer vision for habitat biodiversity classification at University of Lincoln, UK

[Petra Bosilj]

Apologies for any cross-posting

We are looking for a passionate and motivated Post-Doctoral Research 
Associate (PDRA) to join an interdisciplinary team of researchers on a 
3-year project “Using artificial intelligence for automated habitat 
assessment (AI-Hab)” funded by the Natural Environment Research Council 
(NERC).

Using tens of thousands of images from the long-term, nationally 
representative Countryside Survey, AI-Hab will leverage the latest 
advances in computer vision and deep learning to deliver an automated 
monitoring tool for habitat classification. Habitat recognition is 
essential to the delivery of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), which seeks to 
ensure that land development has a measurably positive (+10%) impact on 
biodiversity. Led by the University of Lincoln, this project is a 
collaboration between the School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Dr 
Lan Qie, project lead), the School of Computer Science (Dr James Brown, 
Dr Petra Bosilj), and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH). 
The resulting tool will be integrated into the E-Surveyor application 
developed by UKCEH.

As part of this exciting opportunity, you will be responsible for the 
development, validation, and deployment of a deep learning model for 
habitat classification. You will need to have experience in building 
deep learning workflows using established tools (e.g., PyTorch), 
proficiency in Python or another suitable programming language (e.g., 
C++), and a passion for interdisciplinary research in support of 
environmental conservation. You should also have, or be close to 
completing, a PhD in computer science or a related field. There will be 
opportunities for you to develop your own research interests, attend 
high-profile international conferences, and publish your work in both 
computational and ecological venues.

If you would like to have an informal discussion about the role, please 
contact either Dr James Brown (line manager, he/him), at 
jamesbrown at lincoln.ac.uk, Dr Petra Bosilj (project co-lead, she/her), at 
pbosilj at lincoln.ac.uk, or Dr Lan Qie (project lead, she/her), at 
lqie at lincoln.ac.uk.

The application closes on Monday 08 April 2024. For more details, the 
full job posting can be found at: 
https://jobs.lincoln.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx?ref=CHS104

Kind regards,
Petra Bosilj