Description

Posting Details

Posting Number

F2631P

Working Title

Assistant Research Scientist in UAV Remote Sensing and Geospatial AI

Department

Franklin-Geography

About the University of Georgia

Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state's flagship university (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University's main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University's enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.

About the College/Unit/Department

The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences is the heart of UGA's learning environment, advancing knowledge, research, and creative activity across more than 40 departments, schools, and institutes. With a vision for high-impact research and education, Franklin College prepares students for leadership and global engagement in a sustainable future. The College has a strong commitment to multidisciplinary research, collaboration and academic innovation. UGA is in Athens, GA, a vibrant mid-sized city with abundant shopping, restaurants, and cultural experiences.

College/Unit/Department website

https://geography.uga.edu/

Posting Type

External

Retirement Plan

Employment Type

Employee

Benefits Eligibility

Benefits Eligible

Underutilization

Advertised Salary

Anticipated Start Date

03/01/2026

Effective End Date (for Limited-Term postings)

Job Posting Date

01/15/2026

Job Closing Date

Open until filled

Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants

Any questions about the position should be directed to Dr. Deepak Mishra (dmishra@uga.edu), Department of Geography, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.

Applicants should upload their (1) Cover Letter, (2) CV, (3) two relevant publications, and (4) List of References with Contact Information. Candidate must be eligible to work in the United States. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Location of Vacancy

Athens Area

EEO Statement

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).

USG Core Values Statement

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning, as well the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 08.02.18.01.02.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 06.05 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom.

Position Details

Position Information

Classification Title

Researcher AC

FLSA

Faculty Rank

Assistant Research Scientist

Contract Type

Fiscal (12 mo.)

Tenure Status

Non-Tenure Track

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must have PhD degree in Geography (remote sensing, photogrammetry, GeoAI), Earth Science, Computer Science, Engineering, or other related fields.

Position Summary

Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, invites applications for an Assistant Research Scientist in UAV Remote Sensing and Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) beginning February or March 2026. The position is for two years with the possibility of extension, a non-tenure track appointment, and the salary is competitive, commensurate with qualifications and experience. The position will include retirement and health benefits. The successful candidate will participate in a funded project developing advanced remote sensing data fusion and analytics methods using multi-modal and multi-sensor data streams (UAVs, CubeSats, and other Earth observation satellites) for continual terrain awareness.

The research scientist will work with a large team of undergraduate and graduate students on a project to design, develop, and demonstrate a robust terrain awareness system from multiple high-resolution satellite and UAV data sources using photogrammetric theory, Structure from Motion (SfM), and Neural Radiance Field (NeRF) techniques, and advanced data analytics models ( DNN , SLAM , feature extraction, pose estimation). The terrain awareness system will be tested and applied to a few target geographies (Coastal, Arctic, Tropical, and Desert) used throughout the larger project. There will be four field trips annually to acquire UAV data from different geographic regions for model development and testing. The successful candidate will supervise undergraduate students' research, oversee the day-to-day activities of the project, and prepare monthly and annual reports for the funding agency. Additional responsibilities will include integrating models with onboard hardware (embedded GPUs, edge computing devices) and evaluating inference performance under field conditions. The successful candidate is expected to publish research results in peer-reviewed outlets, present findings at technical conferences, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of faculty, students, and external partners to obtain extramural funding. Professional development opportunities in teaching and grant writing will be provided through on-campus teaching workshops.

The candidate will join the Center for Geospatial Research (https://cgr.uga.edu/) in the Department of Geography at the University of Georgia and work closely with co-investigators from the Department of Computer Science. The candidate will also be a part of UGA's Small Satellite Research Laboratory (http://smallsat.uga.edu).

Additional Requirements

Relevant/Preferred Education, Experience, Licensure, and/or Certification

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

• The candidate should have a strong publication record and proven abilities to conduct related research projects and to work as part of a scientific team.
• Must be familiar with high-level satellite image processing and photogrammetric techniques, including object detection, feature matching, bundle adjustment, SfM, SLAM , visual odometry, pose estimation, programming, deep learning, and handling large datasets.
• Familiarity with mainstream deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow) and photogrammetric and visualization tools (e.g., Agisoft Metashape or Blender) is welcome.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills are required.

Physical Demands

Is this a Position of Trust?

No

Does this position have operation, access, or control of financial resources?

No

Does this position require a P-Card?

No

Is having a P-Card an essential function of this position?

No

Is driving a responsibility of this position?

No

Does this position have direct interaction or care of children under the age of 18 or direct patient care?

No

Does this position have Security Access (e.g., public safety, IT security, personnel records, patient records, or access to chemicals and medications)

No

Credit and P-Card policy

Be advised a credit check will be required for all positions with financial responsibilities. For additional information about the credit check criteria, visit the UGA Credit Background Check website.

Background Investigation Policy

Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation including, a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia; confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials (including reference checks) as they relate to the job-based requirements of the position applied for; and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. You may also be subject to a pre-employment drug test for positions with high-risk responsibilities, if applicable. Please visit the UGA Background Check website.

Duties/Responsibilities

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

1. Resume/CV
2. Cover Letter
3. Sample Publications
4. List of References with Contact Information

Optional Documents