German National Graduate Trainee in Earth Observation Data Science

Location

ESRIN, Frascati, Italy

Our team and mission

As a National Graduate Trainee, you will join a team in the Enterprise Section within the Green Solutions Division in the Earth Observation Directorate's Climate Action, Sustainability and Science Department. Our team works on the development of innovative new applications of Earth Observation (EO) data. The main activity lines include new data sets (such as satellite video or hyper-spectral imagers), new processing methods (such as inverse SAR, microdoppler, multi-data fusion or machine learning-based pattern recognition) and new opportunities for using EO data.

The Section's activities are aimed at promoting the European EO service supply sector on a global scale, supporting its growth and competitiveness. The Section implements resilience and security-oriented activities by developing actionable EO-based information through advanced data fusion, AI-driven analytics and integration with non-EO sources, addressing complex and interconnected societal threats, critical infrastructure protection and crisis response.

You are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

As a National Graduate Trainee, you will contribute to advanced research and development activities in the field of EO applications for security. The traineeship will focus on the design, implementation and validation of innovative signal processing techniques. You will be involved in the following activities:

• Development and assessment of advanced signal processing techniques to improve detection of moving targets;
• Research on SAR acquisition configurations and processing strategies to enhance spatial resolution and extract motion-related target parameters;
• Analysis and development of signal processing methods to characterise the dynamic behaviour of targets;
• Integration and fusion of SAR-derived information to support improved target detection, classification, and characterisation for security-related use cases;
• Assessment of the state of the art in SAR-based target detection and security applications;
• Interaction with scientific, industrial, and operational stakeholders, including support for end-user consultations;
• Contribution to research dissemination activities, including the preparation of scientific and technical publications and participation in workshops and events.

By the end of the traineeship, you will be expected to have:

• acquired in-depth technical knowledge of spaceborne SAR systems and products;
• developed hands-on experience in signal processing techniques for moving target analysis;
• strengthened your experience in collaborative research environments involving academic, industrial and operational stakeholders;
• enhanced your scientific communication skills through contributions to high-quality technical reports and peer-reviewed publications.

Technical competencies

Knowledge of relevant technical/functional domains
Relevant experience gained during internships, project work and/or extracurricular or other activities
General knowledge of the space sector and relevant activities
Knowledge of ESA and its programmes/projects

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 a relevant scientific or engineering discipline.

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 may be considered an asset. Your motivation, overall professional prospects and career goals will also be explored during the later stages of the selection process.

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, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.

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 [email protected].

Important Information and Disclaimer
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 Germany or permanent residents of Germany with the nationality of an ESA Member State, Associate Member or Cooperating State.

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.

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