Post-Doctoral Associate – Robotics and AI-Driven Phenotyping Methods in Blueberries - University of Florida

Postdoc Aso

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is creating an environment that affirms community across all dimensions. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .

This is a 12-month non-tenure-accruing position, available in the Horticultural Science Department Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida. 

The blueberry breeding and genomic lab have addressed various questions to understand the genetic basis of important fruit quality traits and implement marker-assisted selection in the breeding routine. Automating phenotype measurement will decisively contribute to increasing our current efficiency, by leveraging the number of data points collected, eliminating human biases, and streamlining our current breeding pipelines. As a postdoc, you will be expected to collaborate with engineers and breeders to develop systems for data collection, image analysis and machine vision algorithms to create critical and novel methods that empower assessment and quantification of physiological processes, yield capacity and fruit quality traits related to blueberry. It includes the development of new devices, machine learning models, and other technologies that can be used in the field to augment reliable data collection.

Expectations include the ability of using computer vision and robotics to help data collection in blueberry, with possibilities to expand to other areas. It includes developing autonomous robot and UAVs systems; support in-field data-collection, testing and validation; work with cross-disciplinary teams to deploy phenomics-based procedures; machine learning model development; preparing data reports and presentations for scientific and industry groups; publishing results in peer-reviewed journals; and support in the mentoring of students.

As part of a post-doctoral experience, we offer opportunities and will encourage to participate and grow in research, teaching, grant writing, extension, and mentoring, all essential areas needed for the next step in your career. Following this model, we have a 100% success rate in placement in the desired job after working in our lab as a postdoc (n=5). Importantly, the Blueberry Breeding lab is fully embraced in the AI initiative at the University of Florida.  Recently, UF’s cluster has been ranked second most powerful among universities nationwide and third in higher education worldwide, with a No. 22 ranking overall. The supercomputer is a cluster that includes the latest generation of processors and offers nodes for memory-intensive computation, a resource that will be fully available for research in this area.

The Horticultural Sciences Department is a unit within IFAS at the University of Florida and has diverse teaching, research, and extension education programs with 34 faculty in Gainesville and 26 faculty at various Research and Education Centers throughout the state. The Horticultural Sciences Department is currently ranked top 9 in the center for world university rankings.

The Blueberry Breeding and Genomic Lab is part of the Horticultural Science Department and is directed by Dr. Patricio Munoz, an associate professor with over 16 years of expertise in plant breeding. The lab focuses on developing new blueberry cultivars and advancing research methodologies to expedite the cultivar development process.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The University of Florida is a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant, and Space-Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an enrollment of more than 56,000 students.  UF is a member of The Association of American Universities.  The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Florida Sea Grant program, and encompasses 16 on-campus academic departments and schools, 12 Research and Educational Centers (REC) located throughout the state, 6 Research sites/demonstration units administered by RECs or academic departments, and Florida Cooperative Extension Service offices in all 67 counties (counties operate and maintain). The School of Natural Resources and Environment is an interdisciplinary unit housed in IFAS and managed by several colleges on campus.  UF/IFAS employs nearly 4,500 people, which includes approximately 990 salaried faculty and 1,400 permanent support personnel located in Gainesville and throughout the state. IFAS, one of the nation’s largest agricultural and natural resources research and education organizations, is administered by a Vice President and four deans: the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Dean for Extension and Director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the Dean for Research and Director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine.  UF/IFAS also engages in cooperative work with Florida A&M University in Tallahassee.

Commensurate with education and experience

• Doctorate in Robotics, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Knowledge of robotics simulation and prototyping.
• Expertise in designing and deploying robotics systems, including autonomous robots and UAVs.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python and C/C++.
• Familiarity with analyzing large datasets.
• Strong team player and willing to train junior scientists.
• Independent, self-motivated, well-organized, and critical thinker.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Candidates must also have a commitment to UF core values . 

• Proficiency in mechanical and electronic design.
• Experience development for embedded and mobile devices.
• Experience with phenotyping and plant science applications, particularly in blueberries or other fruits.
• Familiarity with developing and integrating new technologies for field applications.

Application Information

Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.

• Individuals wishing to apply should go online to Careers at UF and submit:
• Cover letter that states applicant’s motivation in the position and qualifications relative to the credentials listed above
• Curriculum vitae
• Contact information (including email addresses) for 3 individuals willing to write letters of recommendation

Selected candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible.  Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. The University of Florida is a public institution and subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws

The University of Florida is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations, genetic information, and veteran status in all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring, promotion, transfers, discipline, terminations, wage and salary administration, benefits, and training. The University and greater Gainesville community enjoy a variety of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities.

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF.