Student Assistant for Remote Sensing and Urban Economics Project

30%-40%, Zurich, fixed-term
Project background

City growth is something that happens in high-rise as much as horizontally. We are measuring the evolving floor space density in Chinese urban areas over the last couple of decades. Our goal is large scale time-series data on buildup in all Chinese cities for further research in urban economics. To achieve this we employ deep learning algorithms on various satellite imagery sources. The following link leads to a first milestone.

Job description

You will build up a large library of (mainly optical) satellite imagery and build a pipeline to preprocess it to the extent that we can feed it into a predicting model.

• Data Processing: This includes using the Planet-API and Google Earth Engine.
• Programming: The candidate should be able to understand existing codebase like (Gitlab ) and document the programming progress in git.
• Data Evaluation: Analyzing inputs and outputs of our model may also be part of the position.
• Paper Writing: The prospective candidate is expected to support paper writing of the team. We expect the candidate to cope well with deadlines.
• Interdisciplinary Team: In weekly meetings, we discuss the progress of the project and brainstorm the next steps. We have a friendly work environment where bringing in own ideas is encouraged.
• Possible Extension: Spinoff-Master Thesis are also welcome.

The prospective candidate is expected to support paper writing of the team. We expect the candidate to cope well with deadlines.

Your profile

• Python and GIS
• Knowlege of remote sensing methods and satellite imagery handling
• Ability to effectively manage substantial volumes of data (over 500GB)
• Experience with remote sensing/satellite imagery analysis (google earth engine or similar)
• Experience with CNN (pytorch, tensorflow or similar) is a plus
• Chinese is a plus

Languages: English

You can start as soon as possible. We encourage students from study programs with a focus on remote sensing, GIS, and urban planning to apply. You must be enrolled at a Swiss University and must be willing to work 15h/week on average during the semester. It is possible to work more during the semester breaks (up to 40 hours possible). We handle working time flexibly such that you can take time to study for exams or fulfil other obligations for your studies while coordinating with the team when tasks need to be completed. Ideally, we are looking for individuals who can stay employed as a student assistant for at least one year (e.g., while taking courses for their Bachelor's or Master's degree), possibly longer.

Your workplace

Your workplace

We offer

• An interdisciplinary team with good support and a friendly learning environment.
• A possibility to work onsite/remotely
• Standard ETH student RA salary

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Curious? So are we.

We look forward to receiving your online application ​​​​​​.

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

Further information about CAE can be found on our website . Questions regarding the position should be directed to Sebastiano Papini, email: spapini@ethz.ch

For recruitment services the GTC of ETH Zurich apply.

About ETH Zürich

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising in science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledge into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.