Postdoctoral Researcher in Autonomous Controlled Environmental Agriculture

This project focuses on the development, validation, and integration of non-destructive plant sensing technologies, enabling data-driven—and ultimately autonomous—crop management in greenhouse and vertical farming systems.

Postdoctoral Researcher in Autonomous Controlled Environmental Agriculture

• Our goal: to develop next-generation autonomous crop monitoring and decision-support systems for Controlled Environment Agriculture. By integrating plant sensing, data and crop models, we aim to enable more precise and sustainable crop management.
• Your colleagues: You will be based at BFFI in Venlo, a collaboration between BASF and the Maastricht University Faculty of Science and Engineering. At BFFI, researchers and students work on plant genetics, growth strategies, and crop management with the aim of achieving optimal crop performance by integrating plant, environment, and management. The position offers close collaboration with the Department of Advanced Computer Science and the Sensor Engineering group, creating a highly interdisciplinary research environment at the intersection of plant science, engineering, and data science.

Controlled Environment Agriculture is rapidly expanding worldwide and includes high-tech greenhouse and vertical farm production of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and ornamentals. Dutch expertise plays a leading role in this global development. By controlling environmental factors such as temperature, light, and fertigation, growing conditions can be optimized for crop performance, allowing for local production, efficient resource use, and a high degree of mechanization.

At the same time, the sector faces significant challenges, including labor shortages and increasing complexity in crop management. CEA systems are particularly well suited to data-driven innovation, where continuous streams of sensor data inform decisions on climate, irrigation, lighting, and crop handling. The grower of the future will increasingly rely on integrated digital systems that combine practical expertise with real-time feedback and predictive insights.

At BFFI, we aim to improve CEA system design and crop management by developing technologies that serve plants, people, and planet. By integrating data from plant sensors, production systems, and environmental conditions into advanced models and dashboards, we seek to deepen our understanding of crop performance and enable more precise and sustainable cultivation strategies.

What you do
In this position, you will work within a European collaborative project focused on developing advanced sensing and modeling approaches for CEA systems. Your research will involve the deployment of:

• non-invasive sensors to monitor canopy light interception in greenhouse environments,
• spectral sensing in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) range to estimate sugar and starch content, chlorophyll levels, and plant water status,
• AI-based computer vision systems to monitor crop development,
• integrated sensing frameworks that combine multiple data streams into efficient decision-support tools for growers.

The data collected through these approaches will be integrated into crop growth and transpiration models and combined with other monitoring systems. Initial experiments will be conducted in university growth chambers and greenhouse facilities, followed by validation in commercial-scale greenhouse operations in both the Netherlands and Belgium, ensuring a strong link between fundamental research and practical application. Within this project, you will work in close collaboration with the Sensor Engineering department and the Department of Advanced Computer Science (DACS) at Maastricht University, providing a highly interdisciplinary research environment.

Beyond your core research activities, you will contribute to ongoing projects within the Brightlands Future Farming Institute (BFFI) and collaborate across disciplines in areas such as data acquisition and analysis. These projects span topics including the relationship between food production, environmental impact, and human health, as well as developments in agricultural robotics and automation. This environment offers broad opportunities to apply your expertise in different contexts and further develop your interdisciplinary profile.

In addition, you will have the opportunity to contribute to teaching within the newly established MSc programme in Crop Biotechnology and Engineering, allowing you to build valuable academic teaching experience.

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we'd love to meet you.

What you bring
We're not looking for checkboxes; we're interested in who you are and what you bring. Do you recognize yourself in this?

We are looking for a creative and proactive researcher with a strong interest in the future of digital and autonomous agriculture. You have a clear vision of next-generation Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) systems and feel comfortable working in a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment. You enjoy working with people from different disciplines and are able to contribute effectively to collaborations with, for example, crop physiologists and plant scientists.

• A PhD in a relevant field, such as plant science, crop science, agricultural engineering, biosystems engineering, horticulture, applied physics, data science or a related discipline.
• Demonstrable research experience in at least one of the following areas: crop modelling, plant sensing or data-driven crop management.
• Demonstrable experience in translating research insights into practical applications and collaborating with academic and industry partners in the context of CEA systems.
• Experience with Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), greenhouse cultivation or another relevant controlled growing environment.
• Experience in teaching, outreach, or international research networks is considered an advantage.
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken (minimum C1 level, CEFR). Proficiency in Dutch is considered an advantage.

Please note that regular travel to locations across the Randstad region in the Netherlands and Belgium is part of this position (at least once a week).

What we offer
At Maastricht University, you'll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer:

• A 12-month contract (0.8-1.0 FTE) with the prospect of a 1 year extension (for the duration of the project).
• A gross monthly salary between € 4.925 and € 6.682 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week). 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus.
• 29 vacation days (based on full-time), four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day), and the possibility to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours.
• Freedom and space to shape your work independently and develop your ideas.
• A close-knit community of colleagues to collaborate and grow with.
• A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness schemes, and access to various university sports facilities.
• An inspiring work environment in the heart of Europe.

About the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE)
At the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE), we focus on themes such as circularity and sustainability, future farming, digitisation and (scientific) instrument development. FSE's leading projects, like the Einstein Telescope Pathfinder, are sure to grab anyone's attention. The faculty is a vibrant hub of education and research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS). At FSE, over 450 staff members and 3700 students gather to explore exciting interdisciplinary research and educational programmes. Feel welcome, be part of our team and put your brilliant mind to work!

FSE at the Brightlands Campuses
Maastricht, Sittard-Geleen, Heerlen, and Venlo, the home of four creative Brightlands campuses, are bustling with 30,000 entrepreneurs, researchers, and students working diligently to solve global challenges. The Faculty of Science and Engineering is active on all four Brightlands campuses, and this is where our impact reaches its peak. To give you an idea of what is happening at each campus: Sittard-Geleen is home to the largest chemical site in the Euregion, while Venlo is a large hub for agri-food innovation. Maastricht is the site of the Health Campus, and Heerlen is the place to be for Smart Services.

Interested?
Want to know more about this position or what it's like to work at our university? Reach out to Celine Nicole, Associate Professor in Horticulture Technologies Venlo, via celine.nicole@maastrichtuniversity.nl.

We will review applications on a rolling basis. If we find a suitable candidate, we may start the selection process before the closing date. This means the position could be filled before the vacancy officially closes.

Apply now via the button below. We look forward to getting to know you!

About Maastricht University
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