Starting in early 2027, the Global Land Use and Environment (GLUE) Lab at the University of Wisconsin–Madison will be expanding our team and recruiting senior research scientists, postdoctoral researchers, AI and computer vision specialists, software and data engineers, and research analysts.
We are building an ambitious research program at the intersection of artificial intelligence, computer vision, satellite imagery, and environmental science. We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in machine learning, deep learning, object detection, image segmentation, multimodal and foundation models, and large-scale geospatial AI. Our goal is to develop new approaches to map individual cattle, characterize agricultural landscapes, and monitor environmental change using high-resolution satellite imagery and other Earth observation data.
We are seeking exceptional researchers and engineers interested in applying cutting-edge AI to some of the world's most consequential environmental challenges. Opportunities include developing computer vision models to detect and map cattle, trees, and other landscape features; advancing transfer learning and model generalization across sensors, regions, and production systems; applying multimodal and foundation models to satellite imagery; and building scalable AI and geospatial data workflows.
We welcome candidates from computer science, machine learning, computer vision, engineering, applied mathematics, and related fields, including those without traditional environmental science or remote-sensing backgrounds. We are especially interested in people who combine strong technical skills with a curiosity about applying AI to real-world problems.
GLUE develops innovative data, methods, tools, and scientific insights to improve the sustainability of food systems and land management. Our research spans several interconnected areas:
Brazil: Deforestation, Cattle, and Commodity Supply Chains
Developing AI-enabled tools and geospatial data to map cattle populations, improve supply-chain traceability, monitor deforestation, and advance more sustainable soy and cattle production systems. Our work combines satellite imagery, machine learning, supply-chain analytics, and extensive partnerships across Brazil.
AI and Satellite-Based Environmental Monitoring
Building computer vision and machine-learning approaches to detect and map cattle, trees, agricultural features, and other landscape characteristics from high-resolution satellite imagery. We are developing methods to extend detailed observations across larger geographic areas and translate them into new insights about land use, agricultural production, and environmental change.
United States: Private Land Conservation and Biodiversity
Advancing research on conservation across working agricultural landscapes, including mapping natural lands, understanding private property stewardship, and identifying opportunities for biodiversity conservation and restoration.
Nature-Positive Landscaping
Mapping and reimagining turfgrass lawns at scale to understand opportunities for more biodiverse and ecologically beneficial landscapes, and to advance nature-positive landscaping across residential and other developed areas.
We welcome applicants from a wide range of disciplines, including:
As the lab continues to grow, we will also recruit a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to help lead our expanding organization, strengthen partnerships, support our growing team, and translate research into practical solutions and measurable impact.
GLUE is a collaborative, interdisciplinary research group working at the forefront of land-system science and environmental solutions. Our team combines scientific expertise, advanced geospatial technologies, AI, and extensive partnerships to address challenges in conservation, agriculture, and sustainability.
We offer opportunities to contribute to ambitious, high-impact research, develop new technical capabilities, collaborate across disciplines, and produce work that can influence conservation practice, corporate sustainability, and public policy. We value intellectual curiosity, scientific rigor, creativity, collaboration, and a commitment to turning research into solutions.
We are excited to hear from people who want to help shape the next generation of AI-enabled environmental research.
To express interest, please send a CV and a brief note describing your background, areas of expertise, position you are interested in, and why you would like to join the GLUE team to Holly Gibbs at hkgibbs@wisc.edu. Please include "GLUE Opportunities" in the subject line.
We review inquiries on a rolling basis and will reach out when opportunities align with a candidate's experience and interests.