Applications are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Biology programme. The position is available from February 2026 or later.
Title:
PhD in Remote Sensing of Vegetation Structure in Landscapes under Transformative Change
Research area and project description:
Biodiversity loss threatens ecosystem stability and function, vital for sustainable agriculture and ecosystem services. Failure to monitor and restore biodiversity jeopardizes food security, climate resilience, and societal benefits, prompting the need for advanced monitoring tools and interdisciplinary approaches. This interdisciplinary research project aims to deepen our understanding of the spatial scale in ecological remote sensing with the aim to monitor biodiversity and sustainability in complex landscape mosaics of agriculture, natural areas and their transitions.
This PhD project broadly aims at understanding the spatial scaling, fragmentation and dynamics of vegetation structure across natural and human modified landscapes in Denmark and Europe. The goal is to quantify the multiscale variation of vegetation structural diversity, with the potential to study temporal dynamics. There are a range of methodologies that could be used to achieve this, including active remote sensing (airborne, UAV or mobile lidar or spaceborne radar), structure from motion (UAV), or deep learning / AI modeling applied to high-resolution ortho-images.
The successful candidate will be addressing research questions such as:
What does vegetation structural diversity across spatial scales tell us about ecosystem fragmentation, connectivity and integrity?
What are past changes and temporal dynamics of vegetation structure and what can it tell us about land use history and landscape transformations?
This PhD position will focus on natural and agricultural landscapes and the transitions between land uses, and will be a critical part of the Center for Landscape Research in Sustainable Agricultural Futures (Land-CRAFT) with the vision to provide a novel framework that tests and assesses the sustainability of agricultural production and landscape transformations, both within Denmark and globally. The candidate will be part of the Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity (ECOINF), Department of Biology.
The PhD candidate will work directly with Ass. Prof. Fabian D. Schneider, under the supervision of Prof. Signe Normand.
Applicants are encouraged to submit an individual project proposal of 1 to 2 pages, showing how the applicant’s methodological competences, research background and research ideas fit to this position. Please cite 1-2 key papers that inspire you for this position. The successful candidate will, after approval from the graduate school, further develop a project plan in collaboration with the supervisors.
Please upload a project description (½-4 pages). This document should describe your ideas and research plans for this specific project. If you wish to, you can indicate an URL where further information can be found.
Qualifications and specific competences:
We are seeking highly motivated PhD candidates interested in a scientific career. The applicant should hold an internal fascination for the topic, be independent, have excellent writing skills, and should be enthusiastic about working in an interdisciplinary and international academic environment.
Applicants are expected to have a master’s degree within ecology, geoscience, geography or biology, and ideally have experience with:
We expect the candidate to have strong interest in sustainability and biodiversity, as well as new technologies and methodologies to be applied to Danish and European landscapes under transformative change.
Important personal qualities are to be creative, good at problem-solving, a team-worker, independent, well structured, and keen to work across disciplines and societal sectors. Very good oral and written communication skills in English (fluent English) are expected.
Holding a B driver’s license is an advantage.
Place of employment and place of work:
The place of employment is Aarhus University, Department of Biology, Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity (ECOINF), Ny Munkegade 114, DK-8000 Aarhus C. The hired PhD student will be part of Center for Landscape Research in Sustainable Agricultural Futures (Land-CRAFT).
Contacts:
Applicants seeking further information for this project are invited to contact: Professor Signe Normand, signe.normand@bio.au.dk or Fabian Schneider, fabian.schneider@bio.au.dk
How to apply:
For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see the Application guide. Please read the Application guide thoroughly before applying.
When ready to apply, go to https://phd.nat.au.dk/for-applicants/apply-here/ (Note, the online application system opens 1 September 2025)
Please note:
At the Faculty of Natural Science at Aarhus University, we strive to support our scientific staff in their career development. We focus on competency development and career clarification and want to make your opportunities transparent. On our website, you can find information on all types of scientific positions, as well as the entry criteria we use when assessing candidates. You can also read more about how we can assist you in your career planning and development.
Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background.
