Description

We are seeking a motivated Ph.D or M.S. graduate student to join the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences at Montana State University to work on a research project focused on variable rate fertilization (VRF) to enhance nitrogen use efficiency of cereal crops in Montana. This graduate project is part of a statewide research and extension effort to assess the agronomic, economic, and environmental benefits of variable rate fertilizer technologies in Montana.  

Students will primarily work under the mentorship of Dr. Anish Sapkota (MSU-LRES, Bozeman; https://sites.google.com/view/sapkotalab) and Dr. Ricardo Pinto (MSU-DRC, Havre; https://agresearch.montana.edu/narc/Programs_and_projects/narc-precisionag/index.html) and will have opportunities to work and collaborate with faculty on- and off-campus, producers, and collaborators.  

The project will integrate multi-layer datasets to identify variability in the field, identify management zones, and develop and implement VRF applications. Evaluation of agronomic, environmental, and economics benefits will be in comparison to the uniform rate of fertilizer application. Students will also use available in-situ and remote sensing data to develop novel ways to delineate management zones for variable rate fertilizer applications. Field experiments will be conducted at multiple sites across Montana. 

Requirements

Qualifications: 

• Master’s degree (if applying for Ph.D. position) or Bachelor’s degree (if applying for MS position) in precision agriculture, environmental sciences, soil or crop Science, agronomy, computer science, agri-engineering, or related field
• Experience with variable rate fertilizer systems, yield monitor data, or management zone development  
• Experience in soil fertility, cropping systems, or spatial agronomy
• Experience or interest in remote sensing and geospatial analysis
• Skills and interest in big data analytics and machine learning  
• Willingness to travel and conduct fieldwork and operate UAVs and other sensors for data collection
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with producers, researchers, and technical staff
• Have a driving license or willing to get one within a reasonable timeframe. 

  
Responsibilities: 

• Lead VRF studies including soil sampling, data collection, processing, and analyzing  
• Assist with implementation of VRF trials at on farm sites in collaboration with faculty supervisors, producers and Extension personnel  
• Operate UAV systems for crop and forage data collection and process imagery using photogrammetry software.  
• Process and analyze geospatial datasets including yield maps, terrain layers, and remote sensing imagery  
• Contribute to economic and agronomic evaluations comparing VRF and uniform rate fertilization  
• Lead thesis/dissertation and manuscripts, present at regional and national conferences, and help in developing Extension materials, and project reports 

Start Date: Spring 2027 
  
Stipend: $30K/year plus tuition support 
  
Interested applicants, please contact Dr. Anish Sapkota (anish.sapkota@montana.edu) with a current CV and a brief statement describing your interest in the position. Review of application will start immediately until a suitable candidate is found. Thank you for your interest in the program, and we look forward to reviewing your application.