Research Assistant (Remote Sensing of Tropical Forests)

Job Description

Conservation and restoration of carbon-rich Southeast Asian forests are of tremendous ecological and economical importance to ASEAN countries in the combat of climate change. Yet exact spatial distribution, health status and carbon stock of these forests remain poorly known. While a great many conventional satellite data sets have been used to estimate forest carbon stocks, most are not yet accurate enough to ensure the credibility and integrity of the marketplace for nature-based climate solutions. This 3-yr project funded by Singapore’s Academic Research Council, Ministry of Education (MOE) aims to improve the measurement forest structure and aboveground biomass by linking these remote sensing observations to ground measurements of representative ecosystems in Southeast Asia. 

Invitation to apply

The Department of Geography at the National University of Singapore invites applications for a position as research assistant in a project on remote sensing of tropical forests. Prior field experience in tropical ecosystems is a must. The position is expected to begin in Jun 2024 and will be for a period of 12 months.

The Role

• You will be part of a research team that studies forest structure and carbon dynamics in different forest ecosystems in Singapore.
• In coordination with the other members of the project team (researchers and students), you will help collecting field data, with both tree survey and terrestrial laser scanner.
• Your will spend a large proportion of your time on field work.
• Support project administration and management, including but not limited to, purchase of equipment and consumables, and preparation of SOPs, RA or other related documents.
   

Qualifications

Required skills and experience

• A bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, ecology, geography.
• Experience with field work and associated lab work, preferably in both coastal and forested ecosystems.
• Highly organized and proactive, and with the ability to work independently.
• Willingness to undertake extensive field work. On a regular basis, field work might require you to stay and work for several-day periods on Pulau Ubin.

Desirable skills

• Experience with using GIS software (e.g., QGIS or ArcGIS).
• Experience with remote sensing data collection and/or processing. Experience with drone operation is highly preferred.
• Experience with managing and processing data with programming languages (e.g., R, Python).

Terms of Appointment and Application

1. The appointment will be tenable for a maximum period of 12 months.

2. The position comes with very competitive remuneration.

3. Singapore citizens and permanent residents are eligible for provident fund benefits.

Interested applicants are invited to apply online through the NUS Career Portal with the following documents i) a letter of interest, ii) a Curriculum Vitae and iii) the contact details for two references. If you have any queries, kindly contact Asst. Prof. Hao TANG via email: hao.tang@nus.edu.sg.