Openings

There are several opportunities to conduct thesis research work or gain experience through an internship or apprenticeship at:

Ljungan Systems Field Station of VakeWorks in Torpshammar, Sweden, betweeen June and October 2024.
Kaviri Systems Field Station of VakeWorks in Thanjavur, India, between February and April 2024.

Research possibilities include a large range of topics from life sciences to AI algorithm development to systems analysis. Some examples include:

field taxonomic work (plants, insects and/or soil flora and fauna),
socioeconomic research of the status of family farms in and around Torpshammar,
developing AI algorithms for plant mapping with video drones, etc.

We prefer to jointly develop a thesis topic based on mutual interests and skillsets.

Current Openings

Agroecological Research Apprentice at Ljungan Systems, Torpshammar, Sweden 2024

Job Location: Torpshammar, Ånge, Västernorrland, Sweden
Workplacetype: On-site
WorkType: Internship/Apprenticeship (Exjobb in Swedish)

Requirements:

You must be comfortable performing manual labour, including, lifting up to 30kgs, working with on-site infrastructure projects such a laying electric fences, programming video drones, under supervision; working closely with cows, etc.
You must be able to legally reside in Sweden
You must be able to work on-site for at least 6 weeks during Summer of 2024

Company Description

VakeWorks is a company that focuses on using systems research and thinking from an algorithms-machines-lives-planet perspective, to create regenerative and resilient living systems that are economically profitable and beneficial to society and the planet. We conduct, facilitate, and enable production, research, development, teaching, and training activities through regenerative approaches to agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, agritourism, and health, as well as consulting and teaching activities in knowledge-intensive areas, including data science, data engineering, machine learning, mathematics, statistics, AI, natural resource management, and therewith compatible activities.

Role Description

This is an on-site role located in Torpshammar, Ånge Kommun, Sweden, for an Agroecological Research Apprentice/Exjobb (at least 6 weeks on-site during June-September 2024). The Agroecological Research Apprentice will work on a research project relating to agroecology, with a focus on sustainability, food systems, and ecological interactions. The exjobb thesis work itself can be in one of the following fields: mathematics, artificial intelligence, life sciences (pure sciences, applied science/engineering in agronomy, forestry, animal husbandry, breeding, etc.), data sciences, robotics and/or data engineering.

Ideal Timeline & Project Proposal Logistics

This is timed for a highly interdisciplinary thesis (Swedish exjobb) work that can start during the Summer of 2024 (on-site) and progress towards completion (off-site at the exjobb's Univeristy) in Autumn or Spring of 2024/2025 academic year in Sweden. Volunteers and interns can just join on-site for the Summer of 2024. Candidates interested in possibilities with VakeWorks are encouraged to submit a brief statement of purpose in their CV after going through relevant vlog deep dives at: https://vake.works/about and sharing their thoughts on possible mutually relevant projects. Due to the open nature of the position, specific projects will have to be jointly articulated after the initial screening stage, based on the existing and acquirable skills of the candidate.

Qualifications

Bachelor's or Master's degree candidate in mathematics, data science, robotics, AI, agroecology, environmental science, life sciences or a related field Knowledge of and interest in agroecological concepts such as sustainable agriculture, food systems, and ecological interactions from a systems theoretic perspective

Experience with research methodologies and data analysis
Strong communications, critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a team
Knowledge/Fast learner of experimental design, data collection, and analysis
Ability to work outdoors and perform manual labor, including lifting up to 30 kilograms
Skills in taxonomy of plants, insects, soil flora and fauna is desired but not required

Closed Positions

The following positions are closed now.

Agroecological Research Apprentice at Kaviri Systems, Thajavur, India, 2024

Vlog Deep Dives

The fastest way to get a sense of possible thesis topics is to watch the following presentation of Vakeworks at The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences:

Greenspiration Hour - Climate-Positive Swedish Beef & Dairy at Green Innovation Park, Uppsala, Sweden of the Presentations Playlist

It can be helpful to skim through the following playlists involving Natural Experiments with our Farming Scientists

Natural Experiments with Forest-Grazing Dairy Herd of Gudrun \& Eva, Farming Scientists, Ljungan Systems Field Station, Torpshammar, Sweden
Natural Experiments with Pasture-Grazing Herd of Sven-Alf Blom, Chief Farming Scientist, Ljungan Systems Field Station, Torpshammar, Sweden
Natural Experiments with Continuous Forestry Systems at Ljungan Systems Field Station, Torpshammar, Sweden
- Prerequisite viewing for continuous forestry is A Tale from the Woods Documentary by Campfire Stories.
Season 1: The Beginning
- This is the Playlist containing the chronological sequence of videos constituting the superset of all of the videos in all playlists except Presentations

Field operations at the Kaviri Systems Field Station in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India, are about to commence.

A brief teaser, mostly in Tamil (although English is the sufficient working language of the company), if you want to get an idea of the agroecological system composed of a high-density thick forest for food, timber, biodiversity, etc.:

Contact

For more information email raazesh@vake.works.