Postdoc: Remote Sensing for Forest Carbon & Climate Modeling

California Institute Of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory; United States; On-site; USD 75,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Parental leave

Flexible schedule

Rideshare

Childcare

Job summary

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California seeks a highly skilled researcher to lead independent geospatial AI studies, develop machine learning models, and map biomass change from satellite data. You will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to generate regional and global products.

The role emphasizes publishing peer‑reviewed work, advancing climate and forest carbon science, and applying time-series analyses with SAR/LiDAR data in a dynamic research environment.

Qualifications

• PhD completed or near completion in remote sensing, computer science, environmental science/engineering, statistics/mathematics, ecology, geography, or a closely related field
• Experience with quantitative geospatial and satellite data analysis, including SAR and/or LiDAR methods
• Proficiency in advanced machine learning (time-series methods and generative/foundation AI models) and data-assimilation or ecosystem-model coupling
• Strong programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or R and solid statistical background
• Track record of quantitative research and peer-reviewed publications; ability to work in interdisciplinary, collaborative teams

Responsibilities

• Lead independent research within a collaborative team using machine learning and process-based models to generate regional and global products and advance understanding of drivers of carbon stock change.
• Develop, implement, and document algorithms and reproducible code for data processing, analysis, and science-product generation.
• Lead preparation of peer‑reviewed publications and present results to interdisciplinary teams and stakeholders.

Skills

Python

MATLAB

R

Geospatial analysis

Machine learning

Time-series analysis

Data assimilation

Scientific programming

Education

PhD in remote sensing / related field

Tools

SAR data processing

LiDAR processing

Cloud-native geospatial workflows

Job description

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California seeks a highly skilled researcher to lead independent geospatial AI studies, develop machine learning models, and map biomass change from satellite data. You will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to generate regional and global products.

The role emphasizes publishing peer‑reviewed work, advancing climate and forest carbon science, and applying time-series analyses with SAR/LiDAR data in a dynamic research environment.