Land Remote Sensing Scientist

Job Introduction

At Serco, we strive to promote and enable the diversity, development, wellbeing and safety of our people. We understand that healthier, happier employees go hand-in-hand with strong business performance, enhanced productivity and better outcomes for those we serve. We want everybody who works for Serco to have a positive experience and access to opportunities to develop in their chosen careers.

Dedicated to the European Space Agency’s Earth-observing activities, ESA-ESRIN is the European centre of excellence for exploitation of Earth observation missions. The mission and payload operations of ESA's Earth observation satellites are managed here, and ESRIN is the primary source for the acquisition, distribution, and exploitation of data from these and other non-ESA satellites.

Serco Italy has a long history of providing Earth Observation operations, maintenance and front-end services to ESA. To provide continual service improvement, Serco has recently introduced a special focus on evolution and innovation, with the aim of supporting ESA in further evolving the services and products.

Does working in a Serco environment sound appealing to you?

We would love to hear from you and your interest in the new opportunity of Land Remote Sensing Scientist in Frascati !

Within the ESA Sensors Performance, Products and Algorithms (SPPA) Section the post-holder will be included in the Quality Assurance for Earth Observation (QA4EO) contractual framework.

You will be supporting the ESA Data Quality Managers for the Quality Assessment (QA) and Calibration/Validation (Cal/Val) activities with focus on optical land calibration and validation. It will provide also expertise in atmospheric correction algorithms to compare and validate current methods and propose improvement. 

Does this vacancy not suit your profile? Not to worry, you can send your updated CV to careers.italy@serco.com – a member of our Recruitment Team will come back to you shortly after.

Role Responsibility

As Land Remote Sensing Scientist you will be responsible for:

A) Perform Quality Assessment (QA) and Cal/Val activities for ESA in the optical domain:

• Provide Cal/Val expertise for ESA and Third Party Missons (Proba-V, Landsat,...) for surface reflectance products validation;
• Provide expertise in atmospheric correction algorithms, compare and validate the current methods and proactively propose improvements;
• Participate in and contribute to QA4EO meetings and other relevant conferences, including preparation and presentation of relevant service results or inputs to ESA presentations.

B) Support ESA workshops organization, chairing and follow-up activities:

• Assist and support the data quality manager and other relevant ESA staff in preparing workshops
• Prepare draft of Workshop announcement including objectives, themes, sessions
• Assist review of abstracts and propose keynote contribution around the relevant scientific themes
• Contribute to chairing and logistic activities for the workshops
• Prepare draft report summarizing the major scientific outcomes from the workshop

C) Coordinate and Support QA, Workshops organization and Multi-mission studies activities with scientific partners:

• Review the contribution from the scientific partners and steer the improvements in the QA and Cal/Val methodologies
• Formulate recommendations to ESA on mission improvements in terms of product content, quality and related documentation
• Support the generation of recommendations to ESA on possible new activities on present or future EO Mission
   

In return, we offer a friendly, supportive and professional environment that respects your work/life balance and ultimately contributes to the delivery of public services in Italy and around the world.

Successful Candidate

Mandatory skill requisites are:

• Strong teaming attitude.
• Very good coordination capabilities with external international partners.
• Candidates should be fluent in English and have good writing and communication skills.  
• Proactive approach to problem identification and resolution.
• Ability to plan and report on proposed problem solutions and to work to deadline.
• Availability to travel to attend meetings.
• Programming skills: ability to develop advanced Data Analytics tool using various programming language, mainly Python

Applicants should have a high level of self-motivation, the capability to work effectively in a team and autonomously, and have excellent organisation skills. A strong proactive attitude is required in identifying problems and proposing solutions.

Mandatory knowledge requisites are:

• Physics (or mathematical) background with experience in Earth Observation (EO) using Optical Sensors
• Experience on projects coordination for science-related activities

Additional assets: 

• Expertise on relevant scientific research, in particular: radiative transfer modeling and atmospheric correction
• Experience on Data Science and Exploitation Platforms for EO
• Mathematical and statistical skills for the development of advanced Data Analytics
• Satellite Data analysis and exploitation for Earth Observation
• Scientific  knowledge of satellite geo-physical variables retrieval and validation

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Important:

Any offer of employment is contingent upon you providing documents to verify your identity and employment eligibility, as required by law.

Applicants are reminded that they will be requested to produce such documentation during the recruitment process.

Please contact a member of the recruitment team if you require further details of acceptable types of documentation required for verification of identity and work authorization. 

Data Protection:

When creating a profile on the Serco Career Centre you agreed to the Data Protection policy, a copy is available upon request.You may submit a written request revoking your consent to this agreement at any time.

Package Description

Joining Serco Italy’s amazing team offers:

• Competitive Salary 
• Great career opportunities in the Space industry
• Competitive Salary
• Corporate Benefits Package
• Support provided to EU Nationals requiring relocation – Information available upon request
• Company events
• International environment

About the Company

Why should you join Serco ?

At Serco not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play.

Meaningful and vital work - You’ll contribute to methodologically intercepting challenges whilst achievements will also be recognised and celebrated.

A world of opportunity - You’ll be wholeheartedly supported with development and career progression

Great people - You’ll become an integral member of a well-defined and supportive team who believe passionately in the value of our work.

What we offer

• Chance to contribute to innovation in the public services sector
• A company passionate about diversity and inclusion
• Permanent employment with comprehensive Serco Benefits package.

About Serco

At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play when managing complex public services.  

We are a team of 60,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world, we are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.

By joining Serco you will have unlimited access to our Global Employee Networks – SercoInspire (Gender), SercoEmbrace (Multicultural), SercoUnlimited (Disability) and In@Serco (LGBT & Networks). Serco Employee Networks, led by colleagues who are passionate about diversity, inclusion and belonging. 

Apply

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Serco is a Disability Confident Employer committed to employing and retaining people with disabilities. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.

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