Job Opportunity: Postdoctoral fellow in Advancing Seafloor Mapping

Postdoctoral fellow in Advancing Seafloor Mapping through Machine Learning for Bathymetric Data Compilation

As our dependence on the ocean grows and the health of the ocean becomes threatened, knowledge of the depth of the seafloor (bathymetry) is essential for understanding climate dynamics, marine ecosystems, resource management, risk managements and much more.

Recognising the critical importance of seafloor mapping, The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 project was launched in 2017 with the goal of inspiring ocean mapping and delivering a complete map of the world’s ocean floor by the year 2030 for the benefit of humankind.

While the available high-resolution seafloor mapping data has increased (from 6% when the project was launched to just under 25%), new technologies and approaches will be needed to help map the remaining 75% of the seafloor.

This exciting postdoctoral position at Stockholm University focuses on leveraging machine learning (ML) to identify errors in large bathymetric datasets and applying ML techniques like “super-resolution” to enhance acquired bathymetry data.

The postdoctoral position is for two years, with a potential extension to three years. It is hosted at Stockholm University, and the project includes key collaborators at the University of New Hampshire (USA), Scripps Institution of Oceanography (USA), and JAMSTEC (Japan) as well as at all partner institutes involved in the Seabed 2030 project. The position is funded by The Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.

Stockholm University is a leading European university in one of the world’s most dynamic capitals. The University has more than 33,000 students, 1,600 doctoral students and 5,500 staff members active within the natural sciences and humanities. It also co-hosts Seabed 2030’s Arctic and North Pacific Ocean Regional Center.

The Department of Geological Sciences is a department within the Faculty of Science with courses at master’s, bachelor’s and orientation levels. The department supports a broad range of basic research within marine geology, geochemistry and classical geology.

Qualification requirements

Postdoctoral positions are appointed primarily for purposes of research. Applicants are expected to hold a Swedish doctoral degree or an equivalent degree from another country.

Assessment criteria

The degree must have been completed at latest before the employment decision is made, but no more than three years before the closing date. An older degree may be acceptable under special circumstances. Special reasons refer to sick leave, parental leave, elected positions in trade unions, service in the total defense, or other similar circumstances as well as clinical attachment or service/assignments relevant to the subject area.

We seek candidates with a strong background in computer science, geoscience, physics or applied mathematics with an interest to develop machine-learning algorithms to identify errors in large bathymetric datasets and enhance acquired bathymetry data. Documented previous experiences of development and application of machine learning algorithms are specifically meriting. Likewise, it is meriting to have documented experience in using High Performance Computing infrastructure. The candidate should be fluent in English, and be able to work independently and in groups, as well as towards deadlines as the project has specific sub-goals.

The selection among the eligible candidates is based on their expected capacity to complete the project tasks. The following criteria are used to assess this capacity: the applicant’s documented knowledge and skills within the subject of their proposed specialization, capability to express their work orally and in writing in English, creativity, ability to take initiatives, capacity for analytical thinking, independence and ability to work with other researchers. The evaluation is based on previous education and experience, quality of previous published research, ambition expressed in the motivation letter, description of the proposed project direction and potentially interviews.