• Postdoctoral Research Associate

    Texas A&M University System (Dallas, TX)


    Job Title

     

    Postdoctoral Research Associate

     

    Agency

     

    Texas A&M Agrilife Research

     

    Department

     

    Dallas

     

    Proposed Minimum Salary

     

    Commensurate

     

    Job Location

     

    Dallas, Texas

     

    Job Type

     

    Staff

    Job Description

    About Texas A&M AgriLife

    Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

    + Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/)

    + Texas A&M AgriLife Research

    + College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University (https://aglifesciences.tamu.edu/)

    + Texas A&M Forest Service

    + Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (https://tvmdl.tamu.edu/)

     

    As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

     

    Click here (https://agrilife.tamu.edu/) to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

    Position Information

    We are seeking a postdoctoral position focused on the development and deployment of computer vision and intelligent robotic systems through physics-based simulation, virtual environments, and AI-enabled control, with direct applications in crop production and environmental management in controlled settings such as greenhouses and vertical farms.

    Responsibilities:

    + Implement AI approaches for crop sensing, growth analysis, and stress monitoring, with a strong focus on modeling and interpreting plant-environment interactions for intelligent climate control.

    + Develop simulation environments and digital twins using tools such as Gazebo, NVIDIA Isaac Sim, or Unity to model the CEA environment as well as robotic perception, navigation, and manipulation tasks.

    + Design and implement control policies for robotic arms and mobile platforms using reinforcement learning, classical control, and hybrid approaches with sim-to-real transfer in mind.

    + Lead activities such as design, prototyping, testing, and refinement of robotic systems and automation solutions, including sensor integration and feedback control.

    + Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to design and execute research studies, perform data collection and analysis, and contribute to high-impact publications.

    + Present research findings through presentations at scientific conferences and stakeholder meetings.

    + Performs other duties as assigned.

    Required Qualifications:

    + Ph.D. degree in Agricultural/Biosystems/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or closely related fields with expertise in robotics, computer vision, and/or automation.

    + Demonstrated track record of peer-reviewed publications in areas such as computer vision, robotics, automation, and/or embedded control systems, particularly with applications in agriculture or controlled environment systems.

    + Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.

    Preferred Qualifications:

    + Proficiency in ROS/ROS2, Gazebo, NVIDIA Isaac Sim, or Unity for simulation and deployment.

    + Experience with reinforcement learning (RL), computer vision, and sim-to-real transfer.

    + Experience with robotic hardware platforms such as mobile robots, robotic arms, and embedded sensors.

    + Familiarity with digital twin modeling, sensor fusion, and physics-based simulations.

     

    What You Need to Know

     

    Salary: Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate’s qualifications.

     

    Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

     

    When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

    In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

    + Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance (https://www.tamus.edu/benefits/) with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums

    + 12-15 days of annual paid holidays

    + Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month

    + Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas

    + Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

     

    Applicant Instructions

     

    Please include cover letter, CV and 3 references.

     

    All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

     

    Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.