Postdoctoral Research Associate: AI, Data Science, and Intelligent Sensing for Agricultural, Food,

University of Minnesota; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 62,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive wages

Paid holidays and time off

Professional training opportunities

Medical, dental, and pharmacy plans

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

The University of Minnesota invites applications for a 100% time postdoctoral associate position in the SAGE Lab (Sensing, AI & Green Systems Engineering) within the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering.

The role focuses on advancing data analysis, algorithm development, modeling, and translation of measurements into practical decision-support tools across agricultural, environmental, and energy systems.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in engineering, computer science, or closely related discipline.
• Experience applying statistical, machine-learning, deep-learning, chemometric, or related computational methods to imaging, spectral, sensor, process, environmental, or other complex scientific data.
• Strong quantitative data-analysis and scientific-programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or R with reproducible workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research, formulate data-driven questions, evaluate models, and communicate results.
• Ability to connect data analysis to physical, biological, or process systems and understand measurement limitations.
• Excellent oral and written communication and ability to work in an interdisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• 65% Research and technical development: develop and apply data-science, statistical, ML/DL, and decision-oriented methods for complex datasets; build models for classification, regression, forecasting, and sensor fusion.
• 25% Proposal development, scientific writing, and publication: strengthen externally funded portfolio, draft and revise technical sections of proposals and manuscripts.
• 10% Lab participation, collaboration, mentoring, and dissemination: join lab activities, mentor students, publish reports and present findings.

Job description

About the Job

This position is 100% time for a one-year initial appointment, withthe possibility of extension based on satisfactory performance andcontinued funding.

Please note, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorshipincluding H-1B or Green Card sponsorship.

This position will provide scientific and technical support for Dr.Sambandh Dhal’s SAGE Lab(Sensing, AI & Green Systems Engineering) in the Department ofBioproducts and Biosystems Engineering at the University ofMinnesota.The SAGE Lab develops trustworthy, data-driven methodsthat connect sensing, artificial intelligence, and decision-makingfor agricultural, food, biological, energy, environmental, andmaterials systems. The lab's core methodological focus includesstatistical and machine learning, deep learning, chemometrics,multimodal data fusion, computer vision, uncertainty-awaremodeling, stochastic control, optimization, and deployableedge-to-cloud decision systems. Spectroscopy, hyperspectralimaging, remote sensing, IoT, and process measurements areimportant data sources within this broader framework rather thanrequirements defining a single experimental profile. The successfulcandidate will primarily advance data analysis, algorithmdevelopment, modeling, and translation of complex measurements intopractical decision-support, process-optimization, andadaptive-control tools, while working closely with experimental anddomain collaborators as needed. Candidates with strongcomputational backgrounds who are interested in learning newsensing or application domains are encouraged to apply.

Duties/Responsibilities

• 65% Research and technical development. The primary focus ofthis postdoctoral associate will be the development and applicationof data-science, statistical, machine-learning, deep-learning, anddecision-oriented methods for complex scientific and engineeringdatasets. Major tasks may include developing models forclassification, regression, anomaly detection, forecasting, processmonitoring, and control; integrating multimodal data from imaging,spectroscopy, IoT sensors, remote sensing, environmentalmeasurements, and process systems; developing robust methods forsmall, noisy, incomplete, heterogeneous, or high-dimensionaldatasets; evaluating uncertainty, calibration, generalization,transfer learning, domain adaptation, and sensor fusion; developingstochastic-control, optimization, or decision-making approaches forsystems operating under uncertainty; and building reproducible,deployment-oriented workflows for real-time, automated, edge, orcloud-based applications. Depending on project needs and thecandidate's background, the postdoctoral associate may alsocontribute to experimental design, data acquisition, sensorintegration, or laboratory/field validation, either directly or inclose collaboration with experimental researchers. The candidatewill be expected to ensure that modeling assumptions and outputsremain grounded in the constraints and behavior of the systemsbeing studied and will lead and co-author peer-reviewed manuscriptsarising from these research activities.
• 25% Proposal development, scientific writing, and publication.The postdoctoral associate will work closely with the PI tostrengthen the SAGE Lab's externally funded research portfolio andpublication record. Responsibilities may include identifying andevaluating federal, state, foundation, and industry fundingopportunities; conducting targeted literature and programmaticreviews; developing research concepts, hypotheses, specific aims,objectives, and technical approaches; contributing to experimentaland computational plans, work packages, milestones, timelines, anddeliverables; generating and analyzing preliminary data; preparingfigures, schematics, tables, and supporting technical materials;and drafting and revising technical sections of competitive grantand contract proposals. The postdoctoral associate will also leadand co-author peer-reviewed manuscripts and may help coordinateinputs from collaborators and external partners. Strong scientificwriting is expected; prior grant-writing experience is highlydesirable but not required.
• 10% Lab participation, collaboration, mentoring, and researchdissemination. The postdoctoral associate will be an active memberof the SAGE Lab, participate in lab and departmental activities asappropriate, collaborate with faculty and external partners, andcontribute to mentoring graduate and undergraduate researchers.Responsibilities may also include technical reports, inventiondisclosures, conference abstracts, presentations, seminars, andprofessional meetings. The successful candidate will be expected tocontribute ideas, take ownership of assigned research problems,communicate effectively across disciplines, and support acollaborative and inclusive research environment.

Qualifications

Required

• Ph.D. in engineering, computer science, or a closely relateddiscipline.
• Research experience developing and applying statistical,machine-learning, deep-learning, chemometric, or relatedcomputational methods to imaging, spectral, sensor, process,environmental, or other complex scientific data.
• Strong quantitative data-analysis and scientific-programmingskills using Python, MATLAB, R, or an equivalent platform,including experience developing reproducible computationalworkflows.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research, formulatedata-driven research questions, evaluate models rigorously, andcommunicate results through scientific writing andpresentations.
• Demonstrated ability to connect data analysis and modelingassumptions to the physical, biological, or process systems thatgenerate the data, including an understanding of measurementlimitations, system constraints, and realistic operatingconditions. Direct hands-on experimental experience is welcome butis not required for all applicants.
• Excellent oral and written scientific communication skills,including the ability to contribute effectively to manuscripts,technical documents, and research proposals and to work in aninterdisciplinary and collaborative research environment.
• Willingness to learn new computational, sensing, experimental,and proposal-development methods and to contribute intellectuallyto new research directions within the SAGE Lab.

Preferred

• Experience with multimodal sensing, computer vision,time-series analysis, uncertainty quantification, modelcalibration, transfer learning, domain adaptation, stochasticcontrol, optimization, decision-making under uncertainty, ormachine learning for small, noisy, incomplete, or high-dimensionaldatasets.
• Experience developing real-time, automated, edge, ordeployment-oriented analytics, sensing, or decision systems thattranslate model outputs into practical actions or processdecisions.
• Experience analyzing data from spectroscopy, hyperspectral ormultispectral imaging, RGB/thermal imaging, IoT sensors, remotesensing, process instrumentation, or related measurement platforms.Hands-on experience with these instruments is beneficial but notrequired.
• Experience working with data from agricultural, food,biological, environmental, biomass/bioenergy, circular-economy,materials, or related sustainable systems, or demonstrated abilityto transfer computational methods across application domains.
• Experience contributing substantively to competitive researchproposals or grant applications, including technical writing,concept development, or preparation of proposal figures andsupporting materials.
• Experience publishing peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts andmentoring undergraduate or graduate researchers.

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $62,232 - $70,000 ; depending oneducation/qualifications/experience

Please visit the Benefits for Postdoctoral Candidates website for moreinformation regarding benefit eligibility.

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professionaltraining
• Medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counselingat no cost

Diversity

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversityand inclusion in enriching the employment experience of itsemployees and in supporting the academic mission. The University iscommitted to attracting and retaining employees with varyingidentities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to andopportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment withoutregard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender,age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteranstatus, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successfulcompletion of a background check. Our presumption is thatprospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminalconvictions do not automatically disqualify finalists fromemployment.

About University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among thelargest public research universities in the country, offeringundergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude ofopportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of oneof the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities,students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit fromextensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers,international corporations, government agencies, and arts,nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized byForbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employerfor Women (2023, 2025, 2026), and Best Employer by State(2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence &Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-lifeflexibility.