Lab position openings
2026 field & data science positions
We are hiring for several field positions, with the potential for extension into roles that include data science and/or field logistics management. These positions will primarily support two new projects:
An expansion of the Open Forest Observatory project that is automating forest inventory by combining over-canopy drone-based reconstructions with under-canopy 360-degree (e.g. GoPro) imagery to better capture understory trees, shrubs, and logs.
A study of forest recovery 10-40 years post-wildfire that will use drone and NAIP imagery, combined with computer vision models, to map post-fire forest recovery across southern, central, and northern California.
Forest Ecology Drone Pilot & Field Crew Leader
The Drone Pilot & Field Crew Leader will pilot a quadcopter drone and lead a 2- to 3-member ground-based field crew in collecting data across California forests. Target start date: May 20, 2026.
Forest Ecology Field Crew Member
The Field Crew Member will collect vegetation data and ground-based imagery from forests in central and northern California. Target start date: May 20, 2026.
Extension: Field Logistics & Data Manager
For interested applicants with the necessary additional qualifications, this position serves as an extension to the Drone Pilot & Field Crew Leader position or the Field Crew Member position. The position will provide field logistics support prior to and during the field season, aid in developing data collection protocols, and assist with management of existing and new lab data, including standardization of forest inventory data for inclusion in the Open Forest Observatory database. Target start date: March or April 2026.
Extension: Data Scientist
For interested applicants with the necessary additional qualifications, this position serves as an extension to the Drone Pilot & Field Crew Leader position or the Field Crew Member position. This position will perform software development and/or data science experiments to support development of automated forest inventory and monitoring methods using multi-source remote sensing data. Target start date: February to April 2026.
UCD undergrad student field positions
Check back in early 2026 for a summer 2026 UCD undergrad forest ecology field position!