Intern in the Earth Observation Projects Department, Estimation of per-pixel uncertainties

Internship Opportunity in the Earth Observation Projects Department: Estimation of Per-Pixel Uncertainties

Our team and mission

Within the Earth Observations Projects Department, the Copernicus Sentinel Expansion missions are currently under development. One of these missions is the CHIME (Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission for the Environment), which will carry a unique visible to shortwave infrared spectrometer to provide routine hyperspectral observations. These observations will support new and enhanced services for sustainable agricultural and biodiversity management, as well as soil property characterisation.

You will have the opportunity to join the CHIME project, participating as part of the system engineering and satellite engineering section in activities related to Onboard Satellite Artificial Intelligence Processing and the evaluation of end-to-end mission performances.

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: Estimation of per-pixel uncertainties

Join the Copernicus hyperspectral imaging mission for the environment (CHIME) and help turn science and engineering into reliable satellite products. You will evaluate end-to-end mission performance and develop methods to estimate per-pixel uncertainties for Level-1 and Level-2 data (for example, vegetation traits, water quality indicators, and surface reflectance).

What you will do

• Help define algorithms necessary for the estimation of per-pixel uncertainties associated with Level 1 and Level 2 data products and implement them in dedicated software tools to run either as standalone or as support to the OPSI and E2E.
• Contribute to the identification of radiometric, spectral, and geometric uncertainty contributors and the propagation of such contributors in the Level 1 and Level 2 processing chains.
• Use the CHIME end-to-end simulator (E2E), the Observation Performance Simulator (OPSI), and/or dedicated software developed during the internship to test and validate data flow from geophysical parameters through the instrument and satellite subsystems up to the final Level 2 data products, such as vegetation traits.
• Interact with both the CHIME Mission Advisory Group and the industrial teams in charge of OPSI and E2E development.

If you are motivated by rigorous analysis, careful software engineering, and the satisfaction of seeing numbers you trust flow through a complete space-mission pipeline, this internship is for you.

Behavioural competencies

• Result Orientation
• Operational Efficiency
• Fostering Cooperation
• Relationship Management
• Continuous Improvement
• Forward Thinking

Education

• You must be a university student, preferably studying at master’s level.
• You must be able to prove that you will be enrolled at your University for the entire duration of the internship.

Additional requirements

• The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another ESA Member State language is an asset.
• You should have an engineering background with experience in prototyping or modelling in Python or an equivalent programming language.
• Familiarity with imaging spectrometry, remote sensing, and space system design basics is a plus.

During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.

Nationality

Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Applicants from Canada as a Cooperating State can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta as European Cooperating States (ECS).