Lead Institution

CCARBON – Center for Carbon Research in Tropical Agriculture (University of São Paulo).

Supervisor

Prof. Dr. Renato A. Lima (ESALQ/USP).

Host Institution

ESALQ/USP, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

Fellowship

Technical Research Fellowship (Level B), Carbon Countdown_BR – FEALQ.

Grant: R$ 6,200.00 per month.

Duration

12 months (full-time dedication/40 hours per week) + 12 months renewable.

Expected Start Date

October 2026.

Project Title

Carbon Countdown – A baseline for soil and vegetation carbon stocks in Brazil.

Abstract

Carbon Countdown_BR is one of the largest scientific initiatives ever undertaken to quantify soil and vegetation carbon stocks across Brazil. Bringing together researchers from leading Brazilian institutions, the project aims to establish the first nationwide baseline of carbon stocks across all six Brazilian biomes, generating the scientific foundation required for carbon markets, climate mitigation strategies and evidence-based environmental policies. The project combines extensive field campaigns with cutting-edge technologies, including forest inventories, destructive biomass sampling, terrestrial (TLS) and airborne (ALS/UAV) LiDAR, soil sampling, remote sensing and machine learning. By integrating these datasets, Carbon Countdown_BR will quantify carbon stocks under natural vegetation, agriculture, pasture and planted forests, identify the environmental drivers controlling their spatial variability, and produce standardized reference datasets, predictive models and high-resolution maps to support carbon projects throughout Brazil. Beyond its scientific advances, Carbon Countdown_BR will establish standardized monitoring protocols, strengthen a nationwide research network and create one of the most comprehensive databases on soil and vegetation carbon stocks ever assembled for tropical ecosystems. The project offers a unique opportunity to work with multidisciplinary teams, state-of-the-art technologies, and large-scale environmental datasets while contributing directly to the future of climate science, carbon accounting, and sustainable land management in Brazil.

 

Project Description and Objectives

The selected professional will be primarily responsible for:

• Vegetation Inventory Field Operations: Plan, coordinate, and conduct vegetation inventory field campaigns across Brazilian biomes, ensuring accurate implementation of standardized sampling protocols and high-quality field data collection.
• Field Team Leadership: Lead and supervise the Vegetation Inventory Team during field campaigns, coordinating daily activities, ensuring compliance with technical protocols, operational efficiency, safety standards and high-quality data acquisition.
• Data Collection and Quality Assurance: Oversee vegetation measurements, plot establishment, tree mapping, botanical collections and electronic data recording while implementing quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures throughout field activities.
• Integration with Project Teams: Coordinate vegetation inventory activities with the Taxonomy, Remote Sensing (TLS/UAV-LiDAR) and Soil Teams, ensuring the spatial and temporal integration of datasets collected across sampling sites.
• Field Logistics and Operational Support: Support field campaign planning, equipment management, logistics, troubleshooting and communication between field teams while ensuring proper maintenance of field materials and daily data backup.

·         Scientific and Technical Contributions: Contribute to technical reports, field documentation, standardized protocols and vegetation datasets supporting carbon stock assessment and ecological analyses.

 

Candidate Requirements

Mandatory

• Master’s degree in Ecology, Forestry, Botany, Plant Biology or related fields, or at least three years of demonstrated professional experience conducting vegetation inventories.
• Proven experience conducting vegetation inventory or vegetation monitoring using permanent plots.
• Proven experience working in extended field expeditions under remote conditions.
• Experience using forest inventory equipment, including diameter tapes, laser rangefinders, hypsometers, GPS units and electronic field data collection systems.
• Basic proficiency in spreadsheet management (e.g., Microsoft Excel).
• Experience leading or supervising multidisciplinary field teams.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to work collaboratively.
• Willingness to reside in Piracicaba, São Paulo (Brazil).

Desired (a plus)

• Experience identifying shrubs and tree species, preferably across multiple Brazilian biomes.
• Experience driving 4×4 vehicles under field conditions.
• Basic English reading skills.
• Previous residence in Piracicaba or willingness to relocate.
• Experience preparing technical reports and standardized field protocols.
• Interest in ecological research, forest carbon assessment, and environmental sustainability.

– Application deadline

From July 31 to August 23, 2026.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the Link.

Additional Information

For any questions, please contact us at: carboncountdown@usp.br