Research Associate (Horticulture and Plant Physiology)

About the role

The School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB) at NTU Singapore, together with Wageningen University & Research (WUR), runs the Singapore Indoor Farming System (SingFarm), a CREATE-NRF programme building a sustainable, data-driven food production model. The Research Associate works in a multinational team on predictive climate and crop control strategies for indoor farming in Singapore, focusing on Asian leafy vegetables under higher temperature and humidity.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and apply simulation and machine learning models for Asian leafy vegetables to predict growth, transpiration, resource use and yield under controlled environments.
• Build self-learning models from continuous sensor data and calibrate and validate them with experimental datasets.
• Conduct climate room experiments by varying environmental conditions for the growth of pak choi.
• Develop, calibrate and validate an explanatory, dynamic crop growth model for pak choi.
• Write scientific papers and take part in international conferences.
• Collaborate with project partners to support predictive climate and crop control strategies for indoor farming.

Required profile

• Master's degree in plant science, biology, agronomy or a related field.
• Strong written and communication skills.
• Knowledge of plant and crop physiology.
• Experience or a demonstrated interest in a quantitative approach to crop growth.
• Strong presentation skills for academic and non-academic audiences.
• Good collaboration skills and ability to work in a team.

Required skills

• Knowledge or experience in programming is preferred.