Postdoctoral Scholar

Postdoctoral Scholar-Fixed Term

The Lark Lab at Michigan State University seeks a postdoctoral researcher with expertise in satellite remote sensing and spatial analysis to study agricultural land management in the United States. The researcher will contribute as a core team member to projects investigating grassland management, use, and biomass harvest regimes, along with other remote sensing and spatial analyses of grasslands, abandoned croplands, and conservation lands across the U.S. The work will directly inform policy making and national strategies to advance conservation, improve land management, and enhance ecosystem services outcomes.

The researcher will also have ample opportunity to collaborate on complementary projects focused on mapping, modeling, and advancing agricultural conservation practices, bioenergy solutions, and land-based climate mitigation.

The researcher will map and assess current and historic grassland management and harvest practices, using large amounts of geospatial training data to effectively classify grazing, haying, and other grassland management regimes on U.S. agricultural lands. The researcher will also work closely with colleagues at other institutions including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and several universities to improve upon existing remotely sensed data, develop new methods for detection of land management practices, and apply the developed products to conservation and policy-relevant research questions.

The study area is the conterminous United States with additional emphasis on the Midwest region, and work can include field data collection to support the analysis, if interested.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree:
Doctorate - Geography, agricultural economics, environmental science/sustainability, environmental policy, agronomy, or a related field

Minimum Requirements:

Ph.D. in Geography, agricultural economics, environmental science/sustainability, environmental policy, agronomy, or a related field

Desired

Qualifications:

• Strong skills in satellite remote sensing, GIS, and statistical analysis.
• Experience using cloud-based computing resources (e.g. Google Earth Engine) for image classification and large-scale data processing
• Familiarity with concepts, modeling, or datasets related to U.S. agricultural management, grassland/rangeland ecology, and/or environmental impacts of agroecosystems

Required Application Materials:

• Cover Letter
• CV
• Name and Contact information for Three (3) Professional References

Review of Applications Begins On: 04/13/2026

Remote Work Statement: MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.