Postdoc

Department of Forest Resource Management

Do you want to be part of modeling the future of the forest landscape? We are now seeking a two-year postdoc to be based at the Department of Forest Resource Management at SLU in Umeå.

About the job

We are looking for a postdoc with a particular interest in modeling forest landscapes. Within the framework of a two-year postdoc project, you will use the decision support system Heureka to analyze how different forest management strategies affect biodiversity and the production of ecosystem services, as well as how these interact with the establishment of wind power. The work involves quantifying conflicts and synergies between different sustainability goals in the forest landscape using simulation and optimization. The analysis will be based on spatially explicit future scenarios, developed in collaboration with various stakeholder groups, and will include indicators such as biomass production, carbon sequestration, recreational values, and wind energy.

The postdoc position is part of the interdisciplinary research project WindyForests, which brings together researchers from several universities and subject areas with the aim of developing knowledge for the sustainable planning of wind power in forest landscapes. For more information, see: http://www.slu.se/forskning/forskningskatalog/projekt/w/windyforests/

Your background

You must have completed a doctoral degree in forest science, ecology, environmental science, systems analysis, mathematics, operations research, or a similar discipline with a great interest in forests and forestry, where quantitative modeling and/or optimization constitutes a central part of the dissertation work. Experience from working with optimization methods, long-term modeling of the forest landscape and its ecosystem services, as well as computer-based decision support systems in general and the Heureka system in particular, is a merit. Great importance is placed on personal qualities such as analytical and problem-solving abilities, the ability to work independently, and collaborative skills. Good ability to express yourself in writing and orally in English is a requirement.

The employment is intended for a junior researcher, and we are primarily seeking individuals who completed their doctoral degree no more than three years ago. If there are special reasons, such a degree may have been completed earlier. Special reasons refer to leave due to illness, parental leave, positions of trust within trade unions, service within the total defense, or other similar circumstances, as well as clinical service or service/assignments relevant to the subject area.

About us

The Department of Forest Resource Management conducts education and research in the areas of forest remote sensing, forest inventory and sampling, forest planning, forest mathematical statistics, and landscape studies. The department is also responsible for implementing the ongoing environmental analysis programs Riksskogstaxeringen, National inventories of the landscape in Sweden, which includes inventories of coastlines, in the mountains, in grasslands and deciduous forests, as well as butterflies and bumblebees. In the operations, research and environmental analysis are combined in interdisciplinary projects, which provides unique opportunities to develop holistic concepts for the sustainable use of natural resources. In total, we are approximately 120 employees, and during the summer half-year, an additional approximately 90 seasonal employees in our field inventories.

More information can be found at https://www.slu.se/srh

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at SLU at https://www.slu.se/om-slu/jobba-pa-slu/

Location

Umeå

Type of employment

Fixed-term employment 24 months, with the possibility of extension.

Extent

100%

Start date

According to agreement.

Application

Welcome with your application via the application button below no later than 2026-08-11.

Union contact persons

https://internt.slu.se/min-anstallning/facket/kontaktpersoner/

Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU) plays a key role in the development for sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interactions between humans, animals, and ecosystems and a responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Main locations are Alnarp, Umeå, and Uppsala, but operations are also conducted at research stations, experimental parks, and educational sites throughout the country. SLU has over 4,000 employees, 6,000 students and doctoral students, and a turnover of over 4.5 billion SEK. The university invests in attractive environments at its campus areas. We work for a gender-equal and inclusive work environment where open dialogue between people with different experiences lays the foundation for scientificity, creativity, and development. We therefore welcome people with different backgrounds and perspectives to apply for the current position.