Postdoctoral Scholar

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JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Cyber-physical Animal Systems (CAS) lab at Penn State invites applications for a postdoctoral scholar researcher to work at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and animal systems. The lab focuses on the development of cutting-edge, AI-enabled, and loT-based technologies to monitor and improve the welfare, health, and productivity of livestock animals and poultry.

The successful candidate will lead and contribute to ongoing research efforts aimed at using multimodal sensing, computer vision, and data fusion techniques to assess animal behavior, body weight, and health indicators. The research also emphasizes the integration of precision technology in realistic commercial farm settings, addressing both technical and practical challenges. Computational expertise alone is insufficient without farm experience.

Key Responsibilities:

* Design and conduct research projects related to AI-based precision livestock farming with a focus on computer vision, machine learning, and sensor integration.

* Develop and optimize multimodal sensing systems and data fusion techniques (thermal, depth, RGB cameras, etc.) for monitoring of animal phenotypes such as activity behavior, health indicators, and environmental stressors.

* Collaborate with the lab and broader University teams to publish high-impact peer-reviewed research papers and present at conferences.

* Mentor graduate and undergraduate students working in the lab.

* Contribute to grant writing and fundraising efforts to support future research projects.

* Participate in farm data collection when necessary.

Qualifications:

* Ph.D. in Computer Science, Data Science, Animal Science, or a related field with experience in AI, computer vision, and precision agriculture.

* Strong programming skills in Python or similar languages.

* Experience with machine learning and computer vision frameworks such as scikit-learn, PyTorch, and TensorFlow.

* Experience setting up loT devices, i.e., sensors and computing boards to be deployed at the farm.

* Hands-on experience in poultry or livestock systems.

* A demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publications.

* Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.

* Ability to work independently and within multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

* Background in data fusion, combining data from different types of sensors.

* Familiarity with cloud computing and distributed data systems.

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter outlining their research experience, qualifications, and motivation for joining the CAS lab, a two-page curriculum vitae highlighting relevant publications and research projects, and contact information for three professional references to REQ_0000061545 at https://hr.psu.edu/careers. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Enrico Casella at casella@psu.edu. The successful candidate must have completed all PhD degree requirements by the appointment date.

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