Post Doctoral Fellow - Geospatial Crop Modelling

The Sustainable impact Platform delivers on key priorities of the IRRI Strategic Plan in the areas of Soil, Climate and Water, Adaptive Agronomy and Pest Ecology, Knowledge Tools, Livelihoods, Gender and Nutrition, Geospatial Science and Modeling, and Mechanization and Postharvest. This position will be based in the Spatial Transformation of Landscapes Research Unit.

The main purpose of the crop modeler, will be to assimilate spatial and field data relevant to crop modeling, and contribute to the development of a remote sensing based multi-crop digital platform to better estimate and forecast crop yields at multiple spatial scales and in a variety of cropping systems (with a focus on cereal systems). The successful candidate will also contribute to research related to yield gap analysis, crop yield estimate uncertainties, and understanding of yield historical trends, spatial variability, and drivers.

Under the direction of the Senior Scientist, this position is expected to support IRRI’s crop modeling initiatives and strengthen the institution’s capacity. The crop modeler will collaborate with various internal (e.g. other modelers, crop physiologist, agronomist, crop health specialists, geospatial experts science team) and external (e.g. national agriculture research sector in multiple countries, private sector) partners. The crop modeler will have an important role in capacity building among internal and external partners.

This position will be based at the IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) in Varanasi and is open for international applications.

• Adapt spatial and survey data relevant to crop modeling (e.g. soil properties, weather, actual crop management practices, and actual yields)
• Investigate empirical/process-based crop models for mapping yield forecasting based on remote sensing, historical yield trends, and the use of these in a multi-crop yield forecasting system
• Model input data uncertainties and error propagation in spatially-explicit crop yield models
• Develop, apply and explore new computation methods for decision support for mapping crop losses due to abiotic (flood, drought) and biotic (pest and diseases) factors
• Expand existing satellite-based crop yield estimate solutions to drone platforms for precision farming solutions
• Process and analyses historical yield time series and trends, spatial variability, and drivers
• Develop multi-crop spatially-explicit yield forecasting system and platform with science collaborators and country users/partners
• Collaborate with the geospatial scientists to enhance the capacity of models to assimilate remote sensing data
• Oversee and guide the compilation, analysis, and interpretation of yield spatial datasets for target regions of Africa and Asia in collaboration with in-country partners
• Collaborate with scientists at advance research institutes and in the private sector to develop new research products
• Provide training in crop modeling
• Create a user friendly interface between existing crop models (e.g. ORYZAT, DDSAT), empirical models, and remote sensing and other input datasets for operational running of the system for yield forecasts
• Produce innovative research related to yield gap analysis, crop yield estimate uncertainties, and analysis of yield historical trends, spatial variability, and drivers
• Publish results in peer-reviewed journals and present IRRI’s work in relevant project meetings, conferences, policy and academic forums
• Prepare and assure quality of project reports, develop work plans, set milestone, and monitor the implementation of research activities

• PhD in Agricultural, Biological, Environmental Sciences or similar

Mandatory

• Empirical and process-based crop modelling experience (and/or ecological modelling, agrosystem modelling), good knowledge in crop physiology
• Excellent experience in programming (e.g. in C, FORTRAN, R, JAVA, Python or MATLAB)
• Excellent research and data management experience
• Good publication record and capacity to lead the development of research outputs
• Demonstrated ability to work on a multicultural and multidisciplinary team
• Outstanding leadership and organizational skills

Preferred

• Ability to undertake capacity building at all levels
• Good experience in coupling spatial/remote sensing data (satellite/drone) with crop models, spatial statistics, good understanding of remote sensing technologies
• Experience in modeling model uncertainties and error propagation
• Knowledge of cereal crop systems and practices
• Knowledge of a variety of crop models

IRRI offers a highly extensive employee benefits package inclusive of globally-covered medical insurance, retirement plan, life and accident insurance and other allowances. Join our team and be part of our story!

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
This position will remain open until filled.