Scientist/Postdoc (m/f/d) (75 %) in the area of Digital Transformation in Agriculture - Digital technologies, mobile applications, plant and soil sensors, autonomous platforms

Potsdam
Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik und Bioökonomie e.V.

The Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) as nationally and internationally acting institute is researching at the interface of biological and technical systems. Our research is aimed at sustainable intensification. We analyze, model and evaluate bio-economic production systems. We develop and integrate new technologies and management strategies for a knowledge-based, site-specific production of biomass, and its use for food, as raw materials and fuels - from basic research to application. Thus we are contributing to food security, animal welfare, the holistic use of biomass, and to protect the climate and environment.

The overarching research topic for department 4, Engineering for Crop Production, is knowledge based, requirement driven crop production systems: Precision Agriculture. Main goals are the development of sensor systems, automation of data acquisition and working processes.


For the EU project Smart4All – Selfsustained cross-border customized cyberphysical system experiments for capacity building among European stakeholders – we are looking for a

Scientist/Postdoc (m/f/d) (75 %)

in the area of

Digital Transformation in Agriculture

- Digital technologies, mobile applications, plant and soil sensors, autonomous platforms -

Starting in February 2020, limited until 31.12.2023


SMART4ALL has the main goal to enable Smart Anything Everywhere (SAE) that means enhancing the capacity and capabilities of to date digitally underdeveloped regions of South Eastern Europe for the digital transformation, in domains related to low energy computing powering Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) and the Internet of Things (IoT). It intends to leverage opportunities fostering regional, national and European synergies that promote knowledge transfer and business building opportunities. In this SMART4ALL will boost high-end research and development for underrepresented SAE. SMART4ALL will increase digital skills of South Eastern Europeans through a new paradigm of developing high impact knowledge/technology from which sectors will benefit where digital technologies are underexploited like Digitized Transport, Digitized Agriculture, Digitized Environment and Digitized Anything.

Digitized Agriculture: One approach to increase sustainability in Agriculture is to exploit the soils full potential while preserving natural resources in a technology driven, knowledge-based agriculture, based on more detailed and more frequent monitoring to identify timely and locally precise interventions with maximal positive impact to the yield and minimal negative impact to the environment. That implies to capture detailed soil and crop data, to analyze this data to decide on the optimal intervention and to carry out precision interventions specifically targeting on small plots or even individual plants. Such intelligent farms will carry out many, small-scale and precise interventions as efficiently as one large-scale intervention. These intelligent farms will be part of the Internet of Things, cloud computing, and digital economy; not only by exploiting collective data and knowledge to improve agricultural decision making, but also by contributing to this collective data and knowledge. Especially the south eastern European agriculture has a lot of family run, small-scale farms with low technology saturation which are on the other hand small scale to start with. SMART4ALL will analyse and develop the potential of these small scale, low tech farms to participate in the digital transformation by sharing information and knowledge as well as developing specific tools.

SMART4ALL establishes Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) offering both technological and business services to small and medium enterprises. It will create a virtual stakeholder community based on a DIH-Network. Moreover, SMART4ALL will set in place Pathfinder Application Experiments (PAEs) for external partners based on Open Calls. The selected PAEs will be supported by coaches and professionals from the SMART4ALL team.

You will work as a principle investigator for the Smart4All Digital Agriculture Task Force, with the according scientific and advisory responsibilities.


Your responsibilities

  • Lead the SMART4ALL Digital Agriculture Task Force
  • Create a “Digital Innovation Hub for Agriculture” as an experts network for south east Europe
  • Contribute to the open calls for “Pathway Experiments” and support the external partners within
  • Conduct own research in the area of: autonomous, mobile data acquisition by terrestrial and aerial platforms, Implementation of the (semi-) automated process control applications and ag-robotics, Development of automation concepts and functional prototypes for proof of concepts
  • Presentation of research results through publications in scientific journals and at conferences
  • Support the project administration (reports, documentation, project meetings, purchasing)

Voraussetzungen

Your qualifications

  • Successfully completed university education (PhD, MSc) in the field of agricultural engineering or related engineering sciences: mechatronics, control engineering/cybernetics, systems development, electronics, computer science, data science (or similar)
  • Knowledge of digital tools, mechatronics system development and control software programming
  • Experienced in development environment Matlab/Simulink, and programming languages (Python, C, C++) and/or robotic operating software (ROS)
  • Familiar with dynamic analysis and autonomous navigation of mobile platforms (UAV, UTV)
  • Experienced in development of IoT devices, wireless controllers, and communication protocols
  • Experienced in field testing in agricultural, outdoor setting would be beneficial
  • Scientific track record of published papers in the field of digitized agricultural, automation and control
  • Develop an inspiring, long-term vision on research and development within the project content
  • Show interpersonal and teamwork spirit along with motivation and skills to interact with academicians from different professions and nationalities and professional farmers for creating synergies within the cross-disciplinary, cross-border research group
  • Communication and writing skills in English and German language.


We offer you

  • Excellent facilities, processing units, analytical labs and an interdisciplinary team
  • Access to national and international networks to support your scientific exchange
  • Support of your career development by qualifying programs (ATB and partner universities)
  • Family-friendly working conditions that foster the compatibility of work and family life

 

The beginning of employment is scheduled for February 2020.

The position is limited until 31.12.2023 and is a part-time job (75 %).The salary depends on your qualification and professional experience according to E13 TV-L. Further information can be obtained from Prof. Dr.-Ing. Cornelia Weltzien (Tel.: +49 331-5699 410, E-Mail: cweltzien@atb-potsdam.de) as well as from internet source at www.atb-potsdam.de.

If you would like to contribute your professional competence to our interdisciplinary research, please apply by the following deadline 08.01.2020 quoting the reference number 2020-4-6 by email to karriere@atb-potsdam.de (preferably in single pdf-document).

Equality of opportunity is part of our personnel policy. Disabled applicants with adequate qualification will be preferentially considered.

With your application for employment you declare your agreement to store your application documents for at least three months even in case of an unsuccessful candidacy.  

 

Published on 20th of December, 2019

Kontakt für Bewerbung

Frau Alexandra Schmeck

Arbeitsort

May-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469 Potsdam

Mehr zum Job

Anzeigenart Stellenangebot
Arbeitszeit Sonstiges
Vertragsart Sonstiges
Berufliche Praxis keine Angabe
Aus- und Weiterbildung Sonstiges
Berufskategorie Produktion, Forschung und Entwicklung / Forschung und Entwicklung
Arbeitsort
May-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469 Potsdam