"Research Fellow in Remote Sensing for Agriculture"

Affiliations

• Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation | Centre for Crop Science

Full-time fixed-term position for through to end of February 2028

Base salary will be in the range $117,120.53 - $138,769.70 + 17% Superannuation (Academic Level B)

Based at our St Lucia Campus

About This Opportunity

We’re looking for a Research Fellow to join two nationally significant initiatives driving innovation in Australian agriculture: Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry (AAGI) and the Australian Plant Phenomics Network (APPN). Hosted by UQ’s School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability in collaboration with QAAFI and multiple UQ schools, these programs connect researchers with leading universities, government, and industry partners.

Reporting to the UQ Node Director, you will apply your expertise in spectrometry, hyperspectral and multispectral calibration, and field data acquisition to improve agricultural monitoring from field trials to national predictions of yield, disease, and quality traits. You will develop innovative approaches for crop yield prediction, disease detection, and protein estimation, integrating remote sensing and modelling to translate research into practical tools for sustainable and profitable agriculture.

This role offers the chance to work at the forefront of analytics-driven agriculture, collaborate with nationally and internationally recognised experts, and deliver research with real-world impact.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Teaching: Deliver short modules and practicals for undergraduate and postgraduate students, maintaining high-quality outcomes and continuously improving through feedback and innovation.
• Research: Develop and apply advanced remote sensing analytics for crop monitoring, yield, quality, and disease detection, producing impactful publications and contributing to collaborative, competitive research projects.
• Supervision and Researcher Development: Mentor and guide researchers and direct reports, providing feedback and coaching to support their growth and performance.
• Citizenship and Service: Provide client-focused support, contribute to unit operations, and cultivate external partnerships that reflect UQ values.

This is a research focused position. Further information can be found by viewing UQ’s Criteria for Academic Performance.

About You

• Completion of a PhD in Remote Sensing, Agricultural Science, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated initiative, flexibility, and motivation to achieve research goals and meet deadlines in research projects
• Strong publication record in the area of proximal and/or remote sensing demonstrating capabilities in the utilisation of spectral data in applications in plant science and/or agriculture
• Experience in field spectroradiometer data collection and calibration
• Experience with hyperspectral data and the application of preprocessing techniques for agricultural analysis
• Understanding of key principles of crop physiology, crop morphology and plant phenotyping to support development of sensing technology solutions
• Knowledge of feature engineering and the development of new spectral indices
• Proficiency in data analysis and visualisation tools using software environments like Python, Google Earth Engine, ENVI, MATLAB, or R.

Desirable

• Proficiency in applying machine learning methods to multispectral and hyperspectral data for detecting crop diseases and estimating crop yield and quality
• Familiarity with radar (SAR) data and its applications in crop growth detection is desirable.

Want to Apply?

We welcome applications from all individuals and are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. To be considered, please ensure you upload:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Responses to the ‘About You’ section

Applications close Sunday February 15th 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-60094).