South Dakota State University's Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering is recruiting MS and PhD students for a Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) starting Spring or Fall 2026. The position is fully funded and focuses on developing AI-enabled robotic systems for real-time nitrogen side-dressing in corn, integrating multispectral and hyperspectral imaging, machine learning, and agricultural robotics. Students will work in the Machine Vision and Optical Sensor (MVOS) Lab under Dr. Pappu Kumar Yadav, gaining hands-on experience with advanced imaging sensors, robotics, and precision agriculture field trials.

Research activities include sensor integration, development of AI models for nitrogen stress detection, real-time decision-making for variable-rate nitrogen application, robotic control, and field-scale experimentation. The successful candidate is expected to disseminate research outcomes through peer-reviewed journal publications and conference presentations. The lab environment is interdisciplinary, combining agriculture, engineering, and artificial intelligence.

Applicants should hold a BS or MS in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, Computer Science, or a closely related field, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Required skills include programming in Python, MATLAB, C, or C++. Preferred qualifications include prior research experience in precision agriculture, AI, computer vision, robotics, or sensing systems, peer-reviewed publications, and experience with agricultural field experiments or data collection. International applicants must meet SDSU Graduate School English proficiency requirements (TOEFL iBT ≥ 80 or IELTS ≥ 6.5).

The assistantship offers full tuition coverage, competitive monthly stipends, and travel support for conferences. Interested candidates should email Dr. Pappu Kumar Yadav with a single PDF containing a cover letter, CV, transcripts, test scores (if applicable), list of publications, and contact information for three references. Use the subject line 'GRA2026-MVOSLab-SDSU'. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a Zoom or Microsoft Teams interview. The formal application must be completed via the SDSU Graduate School admissions portal.

For more information, visit the MVOS Lab website or contact Dr. Yadav directly.