Post-doctoral fellowship : Data-driven forest science at the IMPACT Open-Air Lab

Post-doctoral fellowship (PDF) description :

This post-doctoral fellowship (PDF) will harness the large amount of data generated from this site using various remote sensing systems as well as ground-truth data from manual measurements and IoT sensors. The overarching objective of the PDF will be to integrate these datasets to gain new insights into tree growth and response dynamics and trends, and to develop data flows and methods for utilizing the data in simulation models. We are particularly keen to appoint a data-savvy researcher with strong Python and SQL skills to lead data integration, curation, and analysis across sensor and remote-sensing streams.

The research project in South Africa has very few long-term, intensively monitored experiments in managed forest environments. Just such an experiment has been implemented as part of the Hans Merensky Chair in Advanced Modelling of Growth and Wood Formation in Eucalypts (EucXylo) at Stellenbosch University. This new experiment, known as the IMPACT Open-Air Laboratory (OAL), is situated in Somerset West, Western Cape, South Africa. The experiment focuses on the world’s most widely planted hardwoods : the fascinating genus Eucalyptus, some species of which are the largest flowering plants in the world! See for more information. The focus of this new experimental facility and associated research program is the intensive monitoring of growth and ecophysiology of several eucalypt species experiencing varied levels of between-tree competition. A wide range of sensing equipment is, or will be, installed at the site, including dendrometers, sap flow sensors, and environmental sensors such as soil water probes. The experiment also utilizes remote sensing systems extensively. These systems are implemented across all plots in three replications on an 11-ha site.

Duties :

• Coordinate students and service providers who are using or operating remote sensing platforms at the IMPACT OAL, and acquire other RS products (e.g., satellite RS like Sentinel or Dragonette).
• Lead or assist with analyses of remotely sensed data, often in collaboration with post-grad students.
• Conduct some data gathering, field work, and assist with site visits (with students or technical staff) at the IMPACT OAL.
• Lead proposal development to secure additional funding for research activities or travel, wherever possible.
• Co-supervise at least one student.
• Provide some assistance with undergraduate teaching.
• Publish, as lead author, at least two peer-reviewed papers reporting findings on the research topic, and co‑author with students also working at IMPACT.
• Design, build, and maintain reproducible data pipelines and databases (Python / SQL) to integrate IoT, field, and remote-sensing datasets (e.g., dendrometers, sap flow, soil water probes, Sentinel / UAS).
• Apply good practice for version control, documentation, and data governance (Git, code review, metadata) to enable collaboration with colleagues, students, and partners.

Location :

The incumbent will be based full-time at Stellenbosch University (SU) in Stellenbosch, South Africa. SU celebrated its centenary in 2018 and is widely acknowledged as one of Africa’s premier tertiary education and research institutions (visit for more information). Staff and students at the University enjoy a relaxed and pleasant lifestyle, close to the mountains and the sea. Attracting students from around the world, particularly from Africa, and with strong international linkages and collaborations, the DFWS prides itself on research excellence within a diverse and friendly culture.

Requirements and qualifications :

Contract duration and commencement :

The research stipend is initially granted for a one-year period, which may be extended to at least a second year, contingent upon performance. The base stipend is R370,000 per annum (tax-free fellowship) + R20,000 for the purchase of a laptop computer. Although the project fully covers the stipend, the successful incumbent will be encouraged to apply for additional top-up funding to expand the scope of the research. All basic running and travel costs will, however, be borne by the project.

Please note that post-doctoral fellows are not appointed as employees in South Africa; their fellowships are awarded tax‑free, and they are not eligible for standard employee benefits. For more information about post-doctoral fellowships at Stellenbosch, visit

This position is based at the Stellenbosch campus. The incumbent is expected to work full-time on campus or at the experimental field site during the workday, although some flexibility in working location can be negotiated.

Commencement February 2026 (negotiable to accommodate visa timelines for international candidates).

Application procedure

Application closing date : End of November 2025.

Please send by email to Dr. David Drew ( ) the following documents :

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