Job Description

The Research Consultant is a high-level position responsible for independently leading the design, development, testing and scientific publishing of a cutting-edge robotic inventory system. Primarily, the incumbent will be responsible for leading 1) development of complex computer programs with expert-level Python programming, integrate sensors, robots and GPS-based navigation for automatically counting trees, measuring tree structures, and identifying tree locations; 2) planning and executing laboratory, virtual environment, and field experiments to validate and improve system accuracy, and writing test reports; and 3) evaluation of experimental successes and failures, troubleshooting, and making appropriate course corrections to achieve project success within the project timeline. The incumbent will serve as the primary author on multiple scientific manuscripts. The Research Consultant is responsible for the success of this project.

• Provides high-level expertise and knowledge in experimental procedures that are needed for planning, coding, and troubleshooting based on the unique needs of unmanned autonomous ground vehicles systems in real and virtual environments including navigation and targeting, identifying, and counting trees for inventory. Specific expertise is needed to design experiments, develop novel experimental protocols and data collect techniques, and evaluate progress and plan modifications to address challenges and achieve project success.
• Responsible for complete design and development of software including databases and computer programming to geo-map and compile tree inventory data.
• Independently develop a model for tree growth for multiple tree species and anticipate dates by which crops reach their target size.
• Autonomously develop cloud-base storage solutions that interface with industry-accessible inventory, workflow, and financial software.
• Provide project leadership for planning, organizing and conducting novel experiments including decision-making responsibility for scheduling, resource allocation, and work flow to conduct experiments on time, efficiently and effectively.
• Directly responsible for designing protocols and utilizing and/or developing novel methods to create advanced protocols, i.e., interoperate with other Python packages from the ROS 2 ecosystem, with the goal of developing increasing the efficiency of future experiments in virtual environments.
• Reviews, independently interprets results from his or her ongoing experiments, and makes adjustments to improve experimental test subjects, test conditions, payload, programming and experimental methods of future experiments.
• Decides the test materials for inclusion in new experiments in the field and in virtual environments.
• Provides technical expertise and direction for experiments including determining experimental design, developing coding solutions, methods and timing for collecting data, methods to statistically analyze, summarize and present data, and criteria with which to measure the success of experiments to other researchers on the research team.
• Mentor and develop young scientists (post docs, graduate and undergraduate students) in the program.
• Serve as lead author of research reports, present research to academic peers and industry audiences
• Provide leadership and guidance to junior research team members on scientific writing
• Serve as lead author of white papers, present results to government agencies and national stakeholder boards.
• Serve as lead author on scientific manuscripts from their independent research and contribute as coauthor to other manuscripts from the broader research project, as appropriate.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree – Computer Information Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Programming

• At least three years of experience providing design, development, methods, and data analysis for research projects as a scientist or research analyst.

• At least two years providing consultative services for research projects as a scientist or research analyst.

• At least three years of experience programming with Python.

• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Four or more years participating in the design, development, methods, and data analysis of research projects.

• Three or more years providing consultative services for research projects.

• Four or more years of experience programming in Python.

Work Location

• Location: Office space is available in Knoxville, TN and Wooster, OH. Remote employment will be considered.
• Onsite, Hybrid, or Remote: Onsite, Remote employment will be considered

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: MR 13
• Anticipated hiring range:
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted on or before July 16, 2026 or until a suitable candidate is found.

• Resume
• Cover Letter

About The College/Department/Division

The Department of Plant Sciences, part of the Herbert College of Agriculture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, addresses agricultural and environmental challenges through teaching, research, and Extension. We offer programs in plant sciences and landscape design, conduct research in crop production, genetics, plant physiology, and sustainable agriculture, and support growers and industry partners across Tennessee.