Lecturer​/Associate Professor of AI Biodiversity at University College UCL

Rapid environmental change is transforming biodiversity and ecosystems worldwide, but our ability to process and integrate diverse ecological, environmental and genomic data to generate robust, decision-relevant insights remains limited. To address this, UCL seeks to appoint a new academic colleague to help define the next generation of biodiversity science through the development and application of AI. Based at the People and Nature Lab at UCL East, the successful candidate will develop novel and/or apply AI-enabled approaches to ecological, genomic and environmental data.

This may include work with vision and acoustic sensors, genomic and other
-omics data, remote sensing data, LiDAR, multimodal and spatio-temporal modelling, foundation models, interpretable AI or related approaches.

The successful candidate will establish (Grade
8) or expand (Grade
9) an independent, collaborative research programme within Genetics, Evolution and Environment (GEE) with opportunities to contribute to a distinctive living lab environment at UCL East, and work across UCL with colleagues in computer science, geography, and health. We also welcome exceptional applicants working at the broader interface linked to other GEE research, provided they demonstrate strong quantitative and data science expertise and a clear vision for advancing the field.

The post holder will be expected to secure competitive research funding, supervise and mentor postgraduate researchers, contribute to research-led teaching and develop external engagement with conservation organisations, policy bodies and other partners.