Research Assistant in Data Processing for AI-Enabled Tree Species Mapping

University of Sheffield; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 34,000; Part time

Job summary

The University of Sheffield invites applications for a Research Assistant to support the NextGen-FI project, focusing on UAV data management, orthophoto optimisation and dataset generation for model-ready use.

You will collaborate with the School of Geography and Planning and other partners to explore data-centric AI strategies, document methods for deliverables and publications, and develop repeatable UAV data generation protocols for a 12-month, part-time post (up to 20 hours per week).

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in UAV data processing, GIS, or related disciplines (or equivalent experience).
• Experience with UAV data handling, data curation and dataset generation for ML-ready outputs is desirable.
• Collaborative work with academic and stakeholder partners to develop data-centric AI methods.

Responsibilities

• Support NextGen-FI project through UAV data management and orthophoto optimisation.
• Document methods and results for project deliverables, reports and publications.
• Contribute to deployable UAV data generation protocols and outputs and share datasets with the project team.

Skills

UAV data processing

GIS

Education

MSc or PhD close to completion

Job description

We are inviting applications for a Research Assistant to support the following project Next-Generation Forest Inventory (NextGen-FI): Open-Set Recognition for Monitoring Illegal Logging (NextGen-Fi). The post will contribute to the development and validation of unique Unpiloted Airborne Vehicle [UAV] datasets. The work will focus on UAV data management, orthophoto optimisation and generation, and output coding. Datasets will be shared with the project team.

The successful candidate will work with academic and stakeholder partners to generate model-ready UAV datasets and develop evidence to support the evaluation of AI and machine learning models. This may include investigating data-centric AI strategies, such as data quality assessment, annotation refinement, dataset curation, and augmentation, alongside conventional model evaluation. The role will also involve documenting methods and results for project deliverables, reports, and publications.

The post is suited to candidates with either a good MSc or a with a PhD awarded or close to completion (or equivalent experience) in UAV data processing, GIS or related disciplines, and who is motivated to develop deployable and repeatable UAV data generation protocols and outputs.

The post is for the duration of 12 months and for a maximum of 20 hours per week.

The School of Geography and Planning is a world-leading centre for research and education in geographical science and geospatial analysis. It seeks to further the study of geography and geoscience disciplines through high quality research and impact. As part of this post you will also work closely with the world class School of Computer Science at Sheffield.

You will join an interdisciplinary team bridging AI, Machine Learning and Forest Conservation to develop next-generation forest inventory tools based on Open Set Recognition.

£32,080 to £33,951 pro rata