The Department of Forest Resource Management

The Department of Forest Resource Management is seeking a motivated researcher to drive the digitalization of forest management. The position focuses on developing and incorporating automated, cost-efficient methods for acquiring tree-level data to support precision forestry.

About the position

You will work at the interface of advanced remote sensing and practical forest management. The research involves integrating multi-source data—specifically Airborne and Mobile Laser Scanning—with operational machinery data to create actionable workflows. A distinct but complementary component of the role involves evaluating the economic benefit (Value of Information) of these new inventory methods compared to traditional approaches.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Algorithm Development: Develop and validate workflows for estimation of forest attributes using high-resolution LiDAR data (ALS, MLS/TLS).
• Research Funding: Actively lead the application process for external research funding, writing grant proposals to secure long-term project financing.
• Sector Collaboration: Collaborate closely with partners in the Swedish forest sector to ensure research relevance.

Your profile

Required:

• A PhD in Forest Remote Sensing, Forest Technology, or a related field.
• Knowledge about Nordic forestry practices, specifically mechanized harvesting and boreal management.
• Advanced programming skills in Python and R for statistical analysis and spatial data processing.
• Experience in applying for research funding or a demonstrated ability to write high-quality grant proposals.
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating data collection campaigns, processing and analyzing LiDAR data.

Merits (Desirable):

• Experience with forest decision support systems (e.g., Heureka) and economic analysis of inventory data.
• Experience in the Swedish forest sector, with a documented history of collaboration with forest companies.
• Knowledge of Deep Learning frameworks applied to forestry.
• Experience with synthetic data generation.

About us

The Department of Forest Resource Management conducts education and research in the areas of forest planning, forest remote sensing, forest inventory and sampling, forest mathematical statistics and landscape studies. The department is also responsible for the implementation of the ongoing environmental monitoring programs, the National Forest Inventory, The National Inventories of the Landscapes in Sweden, Terrestrial Habitat Monitoring and the Butterfly and Bumblebee Inventory. In total, we are about 110 employees. More information can be found here (https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/).

Location: Umeå

Form of employment: Indefinite-term employment. SLU may use probationary employment.

Scope: 100%

Start date: As agreed.

Application

Please submit your application before the deadline 3rd of March 2026. You can submit your application by clicking the button below.

Union representatives:

Union contact persons for recruitment (https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/)

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) plays a key role in the development of sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interactions between humans, animals, and ecosystems, and a responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Main locations are Alnarp, Umeå, and Uppsala, but operations are also conducted at research stations, experimental parks, and educational sites across the country.

SLU has over 4000 employees, 6000 students and doctoral candidates, and a turnover of more than 4.5 billion SEK. The university invests in attractive environments on its campuses. We strive for an equal and inclusive work environment where open conversations between people with different experiences lay the foundation for scientific rigor, creativity, and development. We therefore welcome individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to apply for the current position.