Are you passionate about utilizing and advancing remote sensing techniques for biodiversity monitoring, research, and ecosystem accounting? Do you hold a master’s degree in a relevant field and aspire to pursue a research-oriented career?

We are seeking a researcher to strengthen Syke's expertise in geospatial and remote sensing methods and their application in biodiversity monitoring, research, and ecosystem accounting tasks.

The responsibilities of the recruited researcher will include applying geospatial and remote sensing methods to biodiversity, and especially habitats, in related applications; key focus areas will be the development of remote sensing methods for monitoring changes in the ecological quality of habitats under the EU Habitats Directive, as well as the comparison, evaluation, and harmonization of monitoring methods based on remote sensing data with other European countries. In these tasks, particular emphasis will be on optical and radio frequency data obtained from satellites (e.g., ESA and NASA satellite programs) and aerial means (drones and aerial survey campaigns). The use and processing of these datasets will highlight the importance of various classification algorithms and pattern recognition methods, particularly machine learning-based approaches in recent times. Efficient processing of these datasets also requires strong knowledge of cloud-based data storage and processing methods, as well as the desire and ability for continuous self-improvement. The role and our collaboration network provide an opportunity to develop into an international expert in this field. It is also possible to combine this role with postgraduate studies. The specific job description will be defined based on the selected researcher's skills and areas of interest.

The recruited researcher will contribute to several of Syke’s ongoing research projects, including the EU-funded Biodiversa+ (https://www.biodiversa.eu/ ) and Obsgession (https://obsgession.eu/) projects, as well as the Eurostat-funded ECOPLASMA project (Developing statistics and accounts for ecosystem services, plastic waste and material flows). Within these national and international initiatives, you will collaborate with Syke’s team of experts. Beyond project participation, you will also contribute to the expansion of our project portfolio by assisting in the development of new funding proposals.

The context to the task:
National and EU obligations related to the state of the environment and its monitoring (such as the Habitats Directive and ecosystem accounting) create pressure to adopt new methods. In particular, broad-based, environmental monitoring methods, harmonized both nationally and at the EU level, have gained significant importance due to the growing global environmental pressures and threats. The management and utilization of geospatial information, remote sensing, and the large datasets they produce play a central role in conducting regionally comprehensive and, at the same time, cost-effective monitoring of nature and habitats. Furthermore, data production for ecosystem accounting requires expertise in producing background information needed for the accounting from satellite observations.

The task will be positioned to The quality of information unit. Syke maintains offices in Helsinki, Joensuu, Jyväskylä, and Oulu, providing flexibility for the location of this role. You can express your wish concerning the office location. We work in an open space office and activity-based environment, but flexible remote working is our working standard today.