Deadline: Fri, 10/04/2024 - 12:00pm Employer: School of Forestry and Natural Resources West Virginia University Job Field: Forestry Job Type: Assistantship Location: West Virginia Location Detail: Based in Morgantown, WV Job Description: Graduate Research Assistantship The Natural Resources Analysis Center is seeking a graduate with a unique skill set that includes knowledge and experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) blended with desire to engage in and further the field of machine learning to collect and manage a collection of remotely-sensed tree species data. The research intention is to collect and publicly archive ‘training’ data that will drive new technologies that will improve utility and forest management strategies. Student will join an interdisciplinary team to further development of emerging technologies centered around Un-crewed Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or drones, remote-sensing, machine learning, and task capacities resulting from the advances in this field. This student will lead the development of a Utility Vegetation Management Oriented Open-Source Annotated Machine Learning Data Archive. This data archive is an effort to capture and identify characteristics of varying vegetation, standardize and archive machine learning training data created from remotely sensed data, and produce machine learning models that will aid Utility Vegetation Management practices. There will also be opportunity to use a combination of remote sensors mounted on UAVs and to collect and annotate additional remotely sensed data for the archive. The student will be enrolled in West Virginia University’s Davis College School of Natural Resource & the Environment in Morgantown, WV. This work is intended to lead to a standardized data archive and machine learning model suitable to support Utility Vegetation Management. Student responsibilities include developing a strategy to attract collaborators to publicly promote the archive for use. This should include publishing in at least one peer-reviewed journal using an annotated data archive, two popular press articles in professional trade magazines, and public presentations to professional groups, the public, or trade shows Qualifications: B.S. in Forestry or closely related field; with a background in GIS and preferably computer programming or science experience. Conversely, a B.S. in Geospatial Sciences, Computer Sciences or closely related field; with a strong interest or background in natural resources may be considered depending on coursework and tree identification experience. Minimum GPA of 3.25 and combined quantitative/verbal GRE scores of 300. A strong interest and experience with geospatial data management, un-manned aerial vehicles, and cutting-edge applied habitat management and research. Experience in GIS, programming languages (e.g., Python, R), machine learning is required; while additional applied experience in habitat or vegetations management (e.g., utility, invasive species, forestry) is desired. Salary: $20,000 for 12-month position / year (M.S.) and tuition waiver. Benefits: Tuition waiver & stipend, access to WVU Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan
