Purdue seeks AI specialist for agricultural and natural systems research

Purdue University is recruiting a tenure-track assistant professor specialising in artificial intelligence (AI) for agriculture, forestry and natural systems, with applications invited from candidates working across agricultural engineering, crop science, environmental modelling and data science.

The nine-month academic position will focus on research and teaching at the intersection of agricultural, environmental and data sciences. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a nationally and internationally recognised research programme, advancing innovation in AI-enabled agricultural and natural systems.

Applicants should hold, or be close to completing, a PhD in agricultural and biological engineering, forestry and natural resources, agronomy, soil science or a related discipline. The successful candidate could be based in Purdue’s departments of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Agronomy, or Forestry and Natural Resources.

The university is seeking candidates able to integrate expertise across at least two relevant technical areas. These include AI and machine learning, digital agriculture and digital twins, remote and proximal sensing, Internet of Things technologies, data science and geospatial analysis, agroecosystem modelling, and robotics and autonomous systems.

Potential research applications include improving productivity, optimising resource use, increasing systems efficiency, and developing operational strategies and logistics. Experience of multidisciplinary collaboration is desirable, while the role will also involve developing and delivering undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, primarily in person.

Application review is scheduled to begin on 1 November 2026.

Further details and application instructions are available through the Purdue University recruitment website.

Related academic opportunities

Purdue is also advertising three related positions that may interest researchers in agricultural engineering and associated disciplines:

• Healthy and Resilient Living Systems – Plant Sciences, with potential departmental homes spanning plant and soil-related sciences.
• Artificial Intelligence for Animal Improvement, covering opportunities across animal science, agricultural economics, agricultural and biological engineering, and veterinary medicine.
• Computational Agricultural Systems Modelling, with potential homes across agricultural engineering, agricultural economics, agronomy, plant sciences, civil engineering, entomology, and forestry and natural resources. Further details are expected shortly.

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