Soil Intelligence Lab Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Asian School of the Environment

Openings

We are building the founding team of the Soil Intelligence Lab at the Asian School of the Environment, NTU Singapore — 3 fully funded PhD students, 3 postdoctoral fellows and a research associate, plus master's and undergraduate interns and visiting scholars.

PhD students

We are looking for students interested in soil biogeochemistry and its responses to climate change. You do not need prior publications or a fully formed thesis idea — a good sense of the research questions that excite you matters most. Current themes include:

  • Soil organic carbon — global soil carbon age and turnover from radiocarbon data; microbial physiology (e.g., carbon use efficiency) and its environmental controls
  • Enhanced rock weathering — key limitations on CO₂ removal; the long-term fate of captured carbon across soil–river–ocean systems; organic–inorganic carbon interactions
  • Cross-scale carbon cycle models — the COUSINE model (COUpled Soil Inorganic-organic carbon model for eNhanced wEathering)
  • Process-guided AI — Biogeochemistry-Informed Neural Networks (BINN) and foundation models for biogeochemistry

PhD positions come with a full scholarship. The earliest start is the January 2027 intake. Getting in touch early is strongly encouraged.

Postdoctoral fellows and research associates

We are hiring 3 Research Fellows and 1 Research Associate to develop a process-guided, AI-assisted soil community foundation model for natural climate solutions. Experience in process-based modelling, data analytics or deep learning is preferred.

Apply through NTU Workday. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.

After applying, please also email Feng with the materials listed under How to get in touch, and mention that you have applied on Workday.

Interns and visiting scholars

Master’s and undergraduate interns and visiting scholars are welcome. Please email Feng with your interests and proposed dates.

How to get in touch

Email Feng at feng.tao@ntu.edu.sg (cc phx.tao@gmail.com) describing your experience and why you want to join the lab, and attach:

  1. A one-page statement of your research interests and relevant experience
  2. A current CV, with name and contact information for one reference
  3. One representative publication, if you have one