Mountain West HERC

Position Summary

The Department of Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering at Michigan State University is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar whose work focuses on harvest automation of specialty crops. The selected candidate will work with Dr. Yuzhen Lu to develop and test automated field-deployed sensing/harvesting systems that may integrate machine vision, artificial intelligence, and mechanisms for specialty crops and to generate high-quality peer-reviewed publications. The successful candidate will meet with Dr. Lu and collaborators regularly to review progress and discuss best practices in design, prototyping, algorithm development and testing, manuscript preparation, mentoring, and lab management.  The selected candidate may engage in other activities such as grant proposal development and instructional responsibilities as needed for their professional development. 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Terminal -Biosystems/Agricultural Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Automation, Computer Science, or a closely related field.

Minimum Requirements

The candidate must have formal training experience in mechanical/robotic harvesting, machine vision, and system integration. It is essential that the candidate has excellent speaking and writing skills and the ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary research team. The candidate must also establish and conduct a research program resulting in high-quality journal publications. 

Desired Qualifications

The preferred candidate is expected to have solid skills in engineering design, prototyping, and integration, and have experience in developing a machine vision-based automation system for selective harvesting of specialty crops.

Required Application Materials

Cover letter, a complete CV, academic transcripts, and contact information (name, address, phone number, and email) for three references.

Special Instructions

For more information, please contact Dr. Yuzhen Lu at luyuzhen@msu.edu.

Review of Applications Begins On

05/22/2026

Website

https://www.canr.msu.edu/bae/

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

About Michigan State University

Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.

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