"Assistant Professor of Geospatial Analytics in Geomatics"

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.

This is a 9-month tenure-accruing position that will be 40% teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences) and 60% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station), available in the School of Forest Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida. This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit. Tenure will accrue in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences (SFFGS). The faculty member will seek contract and grant funding actively to support their program. The faculty member will engage in Extension activities in their program area.

Research duties include developing a collaborative, internationally recognized and externally funded research program focused on Geospatial Analytics in Geomatics, including - but not limited to - advanced Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) techniques and scaleable application architectures and algorithms for geospatial data analysis and visualization. The faculty member's research program is expected to develop and incorporate novel algorithms and frameworks, such as deep learning, parallel and distributed computing, AI-based spatial data storage and transfer technologies, and cloud-native geospatial solutions for feature extraction, real-time autonomous navigation systems, extended reality, predictive modeling, data fusion, digital twins, high-definition mapping, and pattern recognition applied to large multi-scale and multi-modal geospatial data. Instructional duties include teaching two courses: an undergraduate level geospatial data science course and an advanced graduate level course in their area of specialization. Both courses will be accessible to a variety of distance students in geomatics and other SFFGS specializations.

This position is intended to complement existing strengths in forestry, aquatic sciences, and geomatics across IFAS and UF. Together with other new and existing faculty, the successful candidate will have unique opportunities for developing interdisciplinary, collaborative projects, and initiatives. Partners in this initiative include the SFFGS's Forestry and Fisheries Programs; the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment; the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, Computer & Information Science & Engineering; the School of Natural Resources and Environment; and the UF Center for Remote Sensing.

The successful candidate will engage in scholarly activities related to instruction, including teaching undergraduate and/or graduate courses, advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, participating in curriculum revision and enhancement, seeking funding for the teaching program, supervising undergraduate and graduate research and creative work, publishing teaching-related scholarship, producing learning tools, and engaging in professional development activities related to teaching and advising. Faculty are encouraged to support and participate in the CALS Honors Program, distance education, and international education.

Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areas—Research, Teaching and Extension—regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description.

The School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences has teaching, research, and Extension education programs in three broad areas: Geomatics; Forest Resources and Conservation; and Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. The SFFGS has 70 faculty members, 60 administrative and programmatic staff, 250 graduate students, and 350 undergraduate students. The School offers bachelor's degrees in Geomatics, Forest Resources and Conservation, Natural Resource Conservation, and Marine Sciences; thesis and non-thesis master's degrees in all focal areas, including a number of innovative distance education master's programs; and Ph.D. degrees in all focal areas.

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. The School of Natural Resources and Environment is an interdisciplinary unit housed in IFAS and managed by several colleges on campus.

Expected Salary: Commensurate with Education and Experience

Required Qualifications: A doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in Geomatics, Computer and Information Science, Computer Engineering, Geography, Geoscience, or a related discipline is required. Candidates must demonstrate expertise and experience in contemporary geospatial data analytics and paradigms. Proficiency in programming languages and tools, including open science frameworks, and current data science techniques commonly used in AI/ML and geospatial analysis (e.g., Python, R, TensorFlow, PyTorch) is essential. The capability to effectively collaborate within interdisciplinary teams, including faculty from a variety of departments and colleges, is crucial.

Candidates should possess exemplary skills in verbal and written communication, interpersonal relationships, and the procurement of extramural funding. They must show a strong track record of working with stakeholders, a dedication to teaching and mentoring students, and a commitment to UF core values. Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system.

Preferred: Experience with high-performance computing (HPC) systems (such as UF HiPerGator), postdoctoral experience with a solid publication record, and experience with online teaching are highly desirable.