VN 23/34 Remote Sensing Scientist – Optical Imagery (MetImage)
JOB DETAIL
VN 23/34 Remote Sensing Scientist – Optical Imagery (MetImage)
The Remote Sensing and Products (RSP) Division provides the scientific expertise required to develop, implement, validate, maintain, and evolve operational observational products for all EUMETSAT satellites and agreed third party missions, as well as establishing the user requirements for future EUMETSAT satellite programmes.
Within the Optical Imagery Competence Area (OI CA) of the RSP division, the Remote Sensing Scientist – Optical Imagery (METimage) is responsible for the scientific support of Level-1 and Level-2 products for imagery missions, with a particular focus on the EUMETSAT Polar System-Second Generation METimage mission.
Compared to its predecessor, the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), flying on EUMETSAT’s Metop-B and Metop-C, METimage will have more channels allowing for the retrieval of far more geophysical variables. This combined with on-board radiometric calibration of solar channels and the enhanced spatial sampling will provide a breakthrough in several application areas including numerical weather forecast, very short-range forecast and nowcasting, oceanography, hydrology, land-surface applications, and climate monitoring.
Duties
The main duties will be as follows:
- Deliver direct scientific support to the EPS-SG Programme for the METimage mission, in close cooperation with scientists, external agencies and industrial partners;
- Contribute to the maintenance and the evolution of the Level-1 products from the METimage mission;
- Support the Level-1 ground processor development and cross-verification activities, including prototype development and the generation of test data;
- Lead the METimage Level-1 Cal/Val activities, including the verification and validation of the operational processors and the development and maintenance of required product quality monitoring tools;
- Follow the instrument performance against the user requirements and coordinate activities to assess the impact of non-compliances/anomalies on downstream products during pre-launch, commissioning and routine operations;
- Develop Level-2 meteorological products and collaborate with other EUMETSAT scientists for synergistic benefits;
- Conduct internal studies and/or manage external studies on the definition of meteorological products and candidate algorithms from satellite observations with imaging instruments.
LOCATION
QUALIFICATIONS
Advanced university degree in remote sensing, physics, meteorology or equivalent.
LANGUAGES
The official languages of EUMETSAT are English and French. Candidates must be able to work effectively in English and have some knowledge of French.
DEADLINE
25 September 2023
Duties
The main duties will be as follows:
- Deliver direct scientific support to the EPS-SG Programme for the METimage mission, in close cooperation with scientists, external agencies and industrial partners;
- Contribute to the maintenance and the evolution of the Level-1 products from the METimage mission;
- Support the Level-1 ground processor development and cross-verification activities, including prototype development and the generation of test data;
- Lead the METimage Level-1 Cal/Val activities, including the verification and validation of the operational processors and the development and maintenance of required product quality monitoring tools;
- Follow the instrument performance against the user requirements and coordinate activities to assess the impact of non-compliances/anomalies on downstream products during pre-launch, commissioning and routine operations;
- Develop Level-2 meteorological products and collaborate with other EUMETSAT scientists for synergistic benefits;
- Conduct internal studies and/or manage external studies on the definition of meteorological products and candidate algorithms from satellite observations with imaging instruments.
Skills and Experience
- In-depth knowledge in atmospheric/meteorological optical remote sensing, radiative transfer, and remote sensing physics of the atmosphere;
- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of optical imaging sensors, performances and challenges, including extensive experience in data processing thereof;
- Extensive experience with the use of meteorological optical imagery satellite data and products in meteorological applications coupled with in-depth knowledge of data processing of similar relevant optical imaging instruments;
- Track record of pursuing scientific development projects, including the related research and development, as well as project management skills;
- Demonstrable experience in developing scientific applications software in Python, experience with operational data processing software (Java, FORTRAN, C++) would be an advantage;
- Strengths in analysis, synthesis and presentation, coupled with good interpersonal skills and a proven ability to apply these to interactions within a team and between teams;
- Strong interpersonal skills and team-orientation;
- Experience in working with atmospheric and meteorological user communities and researchers.
Employment Conditions
The initial contract will be of 4 years’ duration, with subsequent 5 year contracts being awarded thereafter, subject to individual performance and organisation requirements. There is no limit to the amount of follow-up contracts a staff member can receive up to the EUMETSAT retirement age of 63 and there are certainly opportunities to establish a long career perspective at EUMETSAT.
This post is graded A2/A4 on the EUMETSAT salary scales. The minimum basic salary for this post is EURO 6903 per month (net of internal tax but excluding pension contribution and insurances) which may be negotiable on the basis of skills and experience. The salary scale provides for increments on the anniversary of taking up employment, and scales are reviewed by the EUMETSAT Council with effect from 1 January each year. In addition to basic salary, EUMETSAT offers attractive benefits. Further information, including salary details, is available on the EUMETSAT web site.
EUMETSAT is committed to providing an equal opportunities work environment for men and women.
Please note that only nationals of EUMETSAT Member States may apply. The EUMETSAT Convention requires that Staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, account being taken of the international character of EUMETSAT.
About EUMETSAT
EUMETSAT is Europe’s meteorological satellite agency. Its role is to establish and operate meteorological satellites to monitor the weather and climate from space – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This information is supplied to the National Meteorological Services of the organisation’s Member States in Europe, as well as other users worldwide.
EUMETSAT also operates several Copernicus missions on behalf of the European Union and provide data services to the Copernicus marine and atmospheric services and their users.
As an intergovernmental European Organisation, EUMETSAT has 30 Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.)
