28 Mar 2024
Job Information
- Organisation/Company
Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace- Department
DEOS- Research Field
Engineering » Aerospace engineering
Engineering » Electrical engineering
Environmental science » Earth science- Researcher Profile
First Stage Researcher (R1)- Country
France- Application Deadline
18 May 2024 - 12:00 (Europe/Paris)- Type of Contract
Temporary- Job Status
Full-time- Hours Per Week
40- Offer Starting Date
1 Oct 2024- Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?
H2020 / Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions- Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number
101120117- Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?
No
Offer Description
GENERAL:
GNSS-R is a technique to carry out Earth observation based on reflections on the ground (or sea, or ice) of signals originating from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) signals. The proposed project consists of educating a new generation of experts, at doctoral level, able to bring a qualitative leap to this technology. The scientific and technological goal consists of developing such systems based on a synchronized constellation of Cubesats. An important advantage of this arrangement is the very low cost of cubesats and the possibility to increase resolution based on beamforming from the satellites. Ground truth, as well as some of the methods, will originate from near-field radar technology. This will require further research on all segments of GNSS-R technology and beyond: launching and adjustment of cubesat formations, RF synchronization, interferometry between moving platforms, calibration of RF front-ends, ground testing making use of drones, cubesat systems, on-board processing, data transfer and analysis, translation into ground truth and into predictions important for climate change studies and for optimal territory management. The project may also benefit to other technologies making use of interferometry, such as radioastronomy and phased array based communications. It is also expected to assist industry segments making use of GNSS signals, such as precision agriculture, forestry and sea and land management.
Training programme for recruited researchers:
GLITTER offers a rich inter-sector training program, with private and academic partners, recognized in all segments of satellite-based Earth observation at microwaves. The program has been designed taking into consideration the “triple i” aspects: international, inter-sectoral, and inter-disciplinary, thanks to the different competences brought by each partner of the network as well as lecturer outside of the consortium with complementary competences. Each Doctoral Candidate (DC) will benefit from an individual and customized training program, established in the Personal Career Development Plan (PCDP) that offers a combination of research specific and transferable skills. First, the core training, often but not always local, with order of 5 ECTS on specialized topics, close to a given DC personal project, to allow him/her to acquire a deep understanding of her/his subject. Second, the network-wide training will be offered by the consortium during the whole project life cycle through 4 training schools and 3 workshops. The workshops will include practical system-based development.
Job conditions
Each host organisation will appoint the successful applicant under an employment contract with a very competitive salary. The fellow is expected to join their host organizations starting from October 1st , 2024 (estimated time). Additional funding for participation to courses, workshops, conferences, etc. is ensured. All positions include a doctoral track and the successful applicant will be registered for the PhD program at the host institution. If the doctoral track requires a longer duration than 36 months, the details and financial implications will be provided by the host institution.
EU eligibility criteria for candidates:
The Doctoral Candidate (DC) may be a national of a Member State, of an Associated Country or of any Third Country.
Researchers must be doctoral candidates (no doctoral degree at the date of recruitment)
The DC must not have resided or carried out her/his main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of her/his host organization for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to her/his recruitment. (Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not considered)
Candidates profile:
- MSc degree in Electrical/Aerospace/Telecommunications Engineering or Computer Science
- Robust mathematical and signal processing background, with strong skills in Matlab/Python. Knowledge on: GNSS; estimation theory; statistical analysis; are a plus.
- Demonstrated interest in remote sensing, GNSS, signal processing and radar technologies.
- Excellent communication skills in English.
- Motivated, innovative thinker with a passion for tackling complex challenges in Earth observation and remote sensing.
All consortium members are equal opportunity employers.
Commitment to Equality and Diversity
The GLITTER consortium is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of the project. We particularly encourage applications from women, underrepresented minorities, and individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, aiming to create an inclusive research environment that reflects the diversity of our society. Our policies ensure equal opportunities for all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, or religion.
Research centres:
- Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
- Technische Universiteit Delft, The Netherlands
- Université du Luxembourg, Luxembourg
- Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace, France
- University of Cambridge, UK
- Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Spain (Associated Partner)
Companies:
- Syntony, France
- Polychord Ltd., UK
- Hydroscan, Belgium (Associated Partner)
To learn more about each of the 12 thesis topics proposed in this project, please click on the following link: https://sites.uclouvain.be/DN_GLITTER/
Consortium-wide individual research projects:
DC1 – Advanced multi-frequency GNSS-R statistical signal processing
DC2 – Investigation of advanced reflectometry instrumental concepts with simulated scattered signals
DC3 – developing an RF electronic system able to synchronize coherently signals received on different Cubesats
DC4 – Calibration of GNSS-R products for soil moisture using drone-borne radar
DC5 – Grazing angle GNSS-R for precise altimetry
DC6 – Calibration and drone-scale experiments
DC7 – Deployment and control of a distributed telescope as a formation of nanosatellites
DC8 – GNSS-R signals acquisition and ranging
DC9 – Cubesat system
DC10 – Space-compliant front-end RF electronics
DC11 – Antenna technology
DC12 – CubeSat advanced Bayesian analysis and optimisation
Description of the project concerned by this offer (DC1)
GNSS-R is a powerful way to retrieve information from a reflecting surface (for Earth observation) by exploiting GNSS as signals of opportunity. Depending on i) the sensing platform (ground-based, airborne, spaceborne), ii) the reflecting surface (ice, sea, land), and iii) the number of antennas (typically one for ground-based applications, and two in airborne/spaceborne receivers); the system/receiver provides different results, which allow for different applications. From a signal processing perspective, it is all about the range, Doppler and carrier phase estimation quality. In order to improve the current systems performance and overcome some of their limitations, it is mandatory to increase the resolution and the useful information that can be extracted from such observables. A step further is to consider a distributed sensing device (multiple receivers), which may allow to implement beamforming strategies and advanced processing schemes. This PhD aims at pushing forward the state-of-the-art GNSS-R receiver design in order to improve the current systems performance and open the door to new applications. The main idea is to take advantage of modernised GNSS signals (i.e., Galileo E5 Alt-BOC) and the recently introduced meta-signal concept (the combination of 2 arbitrary GNSS frequencies treated as a single signal). Indeed, both Alt-BOC and any meta-signal may improve the time resolution, which may allow to use precise carrier phase measurements (ambiguity resolution) in scenarios where this is not possible with state-of-the-art processing. Within this context, the main scientific goal of the PhD thesis is to develop innovative multi-frequency baseband signal processing methods (within the GNSS-R receiver) to obtain precise and robust delay, Doppler and carrier phase measurements.
Background: C. Lubeigt, “Signal Processing for GNSS Reflectometry”, PhD Thesis, ISAE-SUPAERO, Feb. 2023.
The PhD candidate will be hosted by ISAE-SUPAERO, Toulouse, France, and will do a research stay (6 months) at the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain, to work with Dr. Estel Cardellach.
Application Process:
The application process will be open until May 18 at noon, Europe Continental Time. The applications received after this date will not be evaluated.
Apply at the following email address: [email protected] , the email must have a subject line starting with [GLITTER_APPLICATION]
N.B. All the application must be in English. Applications received in another language will not be considered!
Questions regarding the recruitment can be sent to [email protected] . To be considered, the email must have a subject line starting exactly with [GLITTER_QR]
Please provide the following four items, all in pdf format:
- Your CV (1 to 2 pages in pdf format)
- A list of grades/diplomas, certificates
- A list of referees (three at least)
- A motivation letter
The four documents should be preferably assembled in a *.zip file with a file name that starts with DC1.
Requirements
- Research Field
- Engineering » Aerospace engineering
- Education Level
- Master Degree or equivalent
- Research Field
- Engineering » Electrical engineering
- Education Level
- Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
- MSc degree in Electrical/Aerospace/Telecommunications Engineering or Computer Science
- Robust mathematical and signal processing background, with strong skills in Matlab/Python. Knowledge on: GNSS; estimation theory; statistical analysis; are a plus.
- Demonstrated interest in remote sensing, GNSS, signal processing and radar technologies.
- Excellent communication skills in English.
- Motivated, innovative thinker with a passion for tackling complex challenges in Earth observation and remote sensing.
- Languages
- ENGLISH
- Level
- Excellent
Additional Information
Benefits
See general description
Eligibility criteria
See general description
Selection process
A first selection will be made on basis of CV, list of grades, certificates, list of referees and motivation letter.
Potential candidates will be invited and interviewed by a selection committee, comprising the work package leaders, who will interact with the Coordination team and the director of the local graduate school. Candidates will be requested to present a short talk. Selection will be made based on the quality of the candidates and the suitability of their previous research and training experience to the research of GLITTER. All consortium partners are committed to upholding a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.
- Website for additional job details
https://sites.uclouvain.be/DN_GLITTER/
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available
- 1
- Company/Institute
- ISAE-SUPAERO/University of Toulouse
- Country
- France
- State/Province
- Occitanie
- City
- Toulouse
- Postal Code
- 31055
- Street
- 10, Ave. Édouard-Belin
- Geofield
Where to apply
[email protected]
Contact
- State/Province
Midi-Pyrenees- City
Toulouse- Website
https://www.isae-supaero.fr
https://pagespro.isae-supaero.fr/jordi-vila-valls/- Street
10, Ave. Édouard-Belin- Postal Code
31055
[email protected]- Phone
+33561338523
STATUS: EXPIRED