PhD: Spatial Optimization of Land Use in Brazil
Find synergies and trade-offs between agricultural production and biodiversity conservation in Brazil’s Cerrado biome through spatial optimization.
Best for:Best for quantitative geographers or data scientists with Python/R skills interested in environmental sustainability and spatial optimization.
Overview
Utrecht University is seeking a doctoral researcher to explore spatial optimization models for balancing agricultural production, biodiversity, and social justice in the MATOPIBA region of Brazil. Working within the Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, the successful candidate will quantify stakeholder trade-offs, compute Pareto frontiers using computational algorithms, and conduct fieldwork in Brazil. The project aims to deliver evidence-based pathways for sustainable land use under future climate and socio-economic scenarios. The appointee will collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of international researchers, local stakeholders, and partner organizations.
What you'll do
- Travel to Brazil to conduct interviews and workshops with regional land use stakeholders.
- Translate stakeholder priorities regarding agricultural productivity and biodiversity into measurable impact indicators.
- Design and implement spatial optimization algorithms to generate optimal land use configurations.
- Calculate Pareto frontiers across varying climate and socio-economic scenarios to test solution robustness.
- Draft peer-reviewed academic journal articles and policy briefs communicating the findings.
Requirements
Degree required: MSc in Geoinformatics, Computer Science, Quantitative Geography, Spatial Data Science, Environmental Science, or a related discipline
Degree offered: PhD
Language: English; professional proficiency required
Instruction: English
- Demonstrated ability to process, analyze, and manage spatial datasets
- Proficiency in programming languages such as Python and/or R
- Capacity to collaborate effectively in an interdisciplinary research team
- Strong interest in evaluating the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of land use
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-10-13
Submit your application through the institutional portal by following the official vacancy link and uploading all required application materials.
- CV
- Cover letter
- MSc transcripts
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