Digital Twin Earth Scientist

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Vacancy in the Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes.

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.

This is a non-renewable post for a limited duration of four years and is classified A2-A4 on the Coordinated Organisations’ salary scale .

Location
ESRIN, Frascati, Italy

The Science Section is a dynamic R&D team leading Earth observation (EO) fundamental research and Earth system science in partnership with European and international scientific groups. Our goal is to foster scientific excellence and maximise the scientific impacts of EO and ESA missions in terms of new methods, novel products and breakthroughs in Earth system science, opening the door to new science-based solutions for society and future observation systems. To that end, the team works together with the international scientific community, European industry and key partners worldwide, such as NASA, WCRP and the European Commission, fostering scientific collaboration and cooperation across projects and programmes.

Visit our website for an overview of our activities and science clusters (eo4society.esa.int/communities/scientists ).

You will be involved in the implementation of ESA’s Digital Twin Earth programme, undertaken by an interdisciplinary team of experts across different ESA departments. You will lead Digital Twin development activities by assuming responsibility for the definition and management of innovative projects aimed at developing and demonstrating, up to a pre-operational level, a set of novel Digital Twin Components offering advanced interactive dynamic reconstruction, characterisation and simulations of the Earth system, maximising the impact of state-of-the-art EO capabilities.

Digital Twin Components are digital interactive representations of key elements of the Earth system leveraging the potential offered by the latest developments in EO data and capabilities that can be used to simulate and analyse Earth’s dynamics and its interactions with human activities and ecosystems, understand its current state, predict future changes and test various scenarios for management actions.

You will manage innovative projects and activities implemented by external interdisciplinary teams of scientists, industry, and AI and IT experts.

As a Digital Twin Earth Scientist, you will also contribute to ESA’s new Earth System Science Hub, a new science laboratory and centre for networking and scientific collaboration among world-class researchers in ESA Member States and worldwide. The Hub brings together young and senior scientists from various disciplines in Earth observation and Earth system science.

In the execution of your tasks, you will work in close cooperation with other staff of the Directorate of Earth Observation and in close coordination with other relevant European and international initiatives such as DestinE.

Under the leadership of the Head of the Science Section, you will be involved in the implementation of highly innovative R&D projects and research activities under the ESA Digital Twin Earth programme.

In particular, you will be in charge of the definition, implementation and management of innovative projects aimed at developing and demonstrating, up to a pre-operational level, a set of Digital Twin Components (DTCs) as EO-based replicas of key elements of the Earth system, their process and their interactions with human activities and ecosystems, bringing advanced scientific understanding, as well as performing simulations and exploration of hypotheses, for example what-if scenarios.

Your main tasks will include:

• leading the definition, preparation and implementation of advanced innovative projects and initiatives for the development and validation of novel Digital Twin Components up to a pre-operational level, maximising the impact of novel EO data capabilities;
• ensuring the proper integration of developed Digital Twin Components (DTCs) into the DestinE Core Service Platform (DESP) and its successful verification and demonstration at a pre-operational level;
• leading the definition, preparation and implementation of advanced activities aimed at exploiting the potential synergies, both technical and scientific, across different DTCs with a view to establishing an ecosystem of complementary interoperable DTCs;
• establishing a continuous dialogue with the scientific community, industry, AI and IT experts and relevant stakeholders through workshops and consultation meetings to assess advances in Digital Twin developments worldwide, identifying scientific needs and opportunities and defining a Science Agenda to drive future ESA projects, developments and activities, for example as part of the Science for Society programme;
• maintaining close coordination with relevant ESA scientific activities and other R&D developments that may contribute to the development and enhancement of DTCs, such as Science for Society activities in the domains of science, applications or digital innovation;
• contributing to the organisation of an annual DTE programme assessment workshop and consultation to establish solid scientific and technical requirements and recommendations for DTE activities and programme evolution;
• ensuring coordination of ESA DTE activities with relevant European programmes such as DestinE, Horizon Europe projects, Digital Twin of the Ocean and national initiatives in Member States;
• leading the development of dedicated open science activities fostering a collaborative community approach to the scientific development, validation, intercomparison and exploitation of ESA DTE developments;
• fostering scientific collaboration and partnerships with major international scientific groups and partners worldwide, including partner space agencies, such as NASA (NASA DT), international scientific programmes, such as WCRP Digital Earths, and relevant international organisations;
• leading internal research activities as part of the ESA Science Hub in collaboration with external partners and Visiting Scientists, including supporting the work of internal and external Research Fellows and Young Graduate Trainees contributing to peer-reviewed, high-ranked scientific publications on project achievements;
• supporting scientific outreach, communication and advanced education activities fostering the promotion of ESA DTE results, mainly among the younger generation of scientists, policymakers and citizens.

Proven expertise in satellite Earth observation for Earth system science and/or applications development

Knowledge of advanced EO data analytics, AI, ML and data-driven approaches to Earth sciences

Knowledge of Earth system, climate, and sectorial modelling (e.g., carbon, hydrology, coastal, ecosystems)

Knowledge of Intense data science, HPC, digital platforms and advanced computational tools

Experience in the management and monitoring of research and development activities

ESA Earth Observation missions and programmes

Knowledge of the relevant scientific communities, latest results and advances, international and European programmes and initiatives

Project management, communication and reporting

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

A PhD in a relevant discipline such as engineering, physics, Earth sciences, computer science or climate or data science is required for this post.

You should also have:

• the ability to interface with the scientific community, international partners and external scientific and industrial actors involved in ESA activities;
• excellent communication skills, both verbal and written;
• strong problem-solving skills to deal with day-to-day challenges;
• a strong result orientation with the ability to set priorities and present practical solutions;
• the ability to manage challenging situations proactively and constructively, with demonstrated planning and organisational skills;

Experience in the management and monitoring of research and development activities would be an asset.

At least four years of experience in related remote sensing data science and/or application development and/or relevant research is required.

International experience outside your home country, as well as experience in diverse functional areas relevant to ESA activities, is an asset.

Other information

For behavioural competencies expected from ESA staff in general, please refer to theESA Competency Framework .

 For further information please visit: Professionals , What we offer   and FAQ    

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.     

The Agency may require applicants to undergo selection tests.

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 at [email protected] .

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Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

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 first be given to internal candidates and secondly to external candidates from under-represented Member States *.

In accordance with the European Space Agency’s security procedures and as part of the selection process, successful candidates will be required to undergo basic screening before appointment conducted by an external background screening service. 

Recruitment will normally be at the first grade in the band (A2); however, if the candidate selected has little or no experience, the position may be filled at A1 level.

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States. ​