ESA Graduate Trainee in Land Surface Temperature Monitoring Mission Analysis
Noordwijk, NL
Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands
Our team and mission
The “Land Surface Temperature Monitoring (LSTM) Mission” is one of the Copernicus Expansion Missions. The mission is designed to provide High spatio-temporal resolution thermal infrared observations. These data are considered fundamental to the sustainable management of natural resources in the context of agricultural production, management of water and food security.
LSTM mission will deliver as level-1 products radiometrically and geometrically calibrated Top of Atmosphere reflectance for the visible spectral bands and top of atmosphere brightness temperature for the thermal bands. All of them will be resampled at 50 meters. The objective is to provide this product within 6 hours from sensing.
This graduate trainee position will be integrated in the LSTM project team in ESTEC. The team is responsible for the management of the industrial contracts related to the design, development, manufacturing and testing of the LSTM satellites and Performance simulator. The trainee position will be under the supervision of the System Performance and Operations Manager of LSTM project.
You are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int
Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship
You will join the System and Performance section, where you will help prepare the user community to effectively utilize the data provided by the satellite. Using the Observation Performance Simulator, you will generate and analyze test datasets of Level-1 products to ensure familiarity and readiness for end users.
Your main task will be to analyze the mission requirements and use cases, selecting representative scenes where these requirements need to be evaluated, such as agricultural, coastal, and urban areas. You will then process these scenes and assess the resulting radiometric and geometric performance.
Another key aspect of your role will be to help define uncertainties throughout the processing chain and identify any additional tools required for processing the scientific data.
Finally, you will contribute to refining the mission observation scenario by running and evaluating various alternative cases.
You will gain hands-on experience in translating user needs into the design and definition of mission and system requirements. You will be exposed to the development of operational concepts and the creation of mission planning frameworks. The primary focus will be on processing satellite data into deliverable products and evaluating how well these products meet user requirements and expectations.
Technical competencies
Behavioural competencies
Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking
For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook
Education
You should have just completed, or be in the final year of your master’ s degree in physics, mathematics or engineering.
Additional requirements
You should have good interpersonal and communication skills and should be able to work in a multicultural environment, both independently and as part of a team. Previous experience of working in international teams can be considered an asset. Your motivation, overall professional perspective and career goals will also be explored during the later stages of the selection process.
You should also have:
- knowledge of science data performance/system simulator tools and conducting simulations and performance analysis.
- mission analysis is an asset.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. Applications from women are encouraged.
At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us via email at contact.human.resources@esa.int.
Important Information and Disclaimer
Applicants must be eligible to access technology and hardware which is subject to European and US export control regulations.
During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.
The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.
Nationality and Languages
Please note that applications can only be considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Nationals from Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia as Associate Member States, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta as European Cooperating States (ECS).
According to the ESA Convention, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will be given to external candidates from under-represented Member States*.
The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.
*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.