Postdoctoral Research Associate

Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

Dallas

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Dallas, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

• Texas A&M AgriLife Research

• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University

• Texas A&M Forest Service

• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information

Texas A&M AgriLife Research – Dallas Center (https://dallas.tamu.edu/) is seeking a highly motivated individual to join the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Engineering Lab as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. The candidate will primarily work in one or more of the following areas: computer vision, AI-driven automation, and/or robotics for greenhouses and vertical farming systems. The successful candidate will focus on robot hardware development, automation system design, machine vision, and intelligent control, supported by physics-based simulation and AI-enabled methods. The position involves hands-on work with robotic platforms, sensors, actuators, and embedded systems, as well as system-level testing and deployment. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and integrate robotic and automated systems, including end-effectors, manipulators, and sensor-actuator networks.

• Lead mechanical, electrical, and mechatronic design activities, including CAD design, prototyping, fabrication, and system assembly.

• Integrate sensors and embedded hardware (e.g., cameras, depth sensors, environmental sensors, motor drivers, microcontrollers) into robotic platforms and automated systems.

• Implement AI approaches for crop sensing, growth analysis, stress monitoring, and interpreting plant-environment interactions for intelligent climate control.

• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to design and execute research studies, perform data collection and analysis, and contribute to high-impact publications.

• Present research findings through presentations at scientific conferences and stakeholder meetings.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Agricultural, Biosystems, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field.

• Strong background in robotics, automation, and mechatronic systems.

• Demonstrated track record of peer-reviewed publications in areas such as robotics, automation, and/or embedded control systems, particularly with applications in agriculture systems.

• Ability to multi-task and work co-operatively with others.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience with robotic hardware, including mobile robots, robotic arms, and automated systems.

• Proficiency in mechanical design and prototyping (CAD, fabrication, rapid prototyping).

• Experience with embedded systems, motor control, and sensor integration.

• Proficiency in ROS/ROS2, Gazebo, NVIDIA Isaac Sim, or Unity for simulation and deployment.

What You Need to Know

Salary: Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate’s qualifications.

Applicant Instructions: Applications received by Texas A&M AgriLife must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to prepopulate the online application.

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums 

• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays  

• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month

• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas  

• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.