PhD Candidate on 'Advanced GNSS reflectometry instrumental concepts for swarms of nanosatellites'

  • Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona
  • Temporal
  • Tiempo completo
  • Hace 30 días
Offer DescriptionGNSS-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, called GLITTER 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.Within the framework of the GLITTER Doctoral Network, the objective of this PhD will be to investigate new advanced reflectometry instrumental concepts. The focus will be put on the particular characteristics of a distributed array of antennas across a swarm of nanosatellites working as a high-directive synthetic antenna and or multi-satellite SAR instrument, and assessment of their derived new products. The investigation will include the implementation of scattering models for GNSS reflectometry over land and ocean scenarios, as well as the development of a system-level simulator to generate data that mimics GNSS-R signals collected from a swarm of satellites (and drones for validation purposes). Based on these tools, the student shall devise new GNSS-R instrument concepts that take advantage of large synthetic antennas with high directivity, which provide advantages to improve SNR, reduce Speckle or resolve the delay-Doppler ambiguity, and propose new raw and intermediate-level observables that optimize these aspects. The new retrieval algorithm concepts for new or improved geophysical products based on the concepts above will be designed and the overall performance of these new approaches will be assessed. Collaboration with other PhD students in the consortium and their groups is foreseen. GLITTER is a highly interdisciplinary project, the groups involved are world-leaders in their fields, and the tasks strategically designed to ensure strong synergies. The PhD student will be based in Barcelona, Spain,
with two secondments, each one of three months duration. The first secondment will take place in Belgium and the second in the UK. The doctorand will also participate in four training schools of one-week length each in Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg. GLITTER also offers young researchers further training through three additional hands-on workshops in Luxembourg and the UK.RequirementsResearch Field Engineering » Aerospace engineering Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Engineering » Communication engineering Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Physics » Electromagnetism Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Physics » Applied physics Education Level Master Degree or equivalentSkills/Qualifications- MSc degree in Electrical, Aerospace, Telecommunications or Environmental Engineering, Computer Science, Physics or related fields.
- Robust mathematical and/or signal processing background, with strong skills in Python and possibly linux environment (user level). Parallel computing and low level programming languages (e.g., fortran 90) are advised.
- Demonstrated interest in remote sensing, signal processing, radar technologies, environmental sciences, and sustainable agriculture.
- Excellent communication skills in English.
- Motivated, innovative thinker with a passion for tackling complex challenges in Earth observation and remote sensing.Specific Requirements- 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).Languages ENGLISH Level ExcellentResearch Field Physics » Applied physics Years of Research Experience NoneAdditional InformationBenefitsJob 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 September 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 Polytechnical University of Catalonia (UPC), associate partner of the GLITTER consortium. If the doctoral track requires a longer duration than 36 months, specific arrangements and potential financial implications can be discussed.This position also comes with two secondments fully payed: three months at the Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium under Prof. C. Craeye supervision and three months at PolyChord, UK, under Dr. W. Handely supervision.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.Eligibility criteria- 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).Selection processApplication 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.
Interested applicants should submit A SINGLE PDF to: . The single PDF file must contain, in the specified order:
  • a Letter of Motivation (1 page max);
  • CV (1-2 page max),
  • transcripts of academic records, and
  • a list of at least three referees (names, emails and telephone numbers)
Applications must be in English. Applications received in another language will not be considered.
Questions regarding the recruitment can be sent to .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.Additional commentsThe GLITTER project involves different universities, research centers and companies. The doctoral candidates hosted by these different institutions will interact with each other, through secondments, intensive 1-week courses and dedicated workshops.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 nine thesis topics proposed in this project, please click on the following link:This position is for DC2. See the complete list of available PhD candidate positions within GLITTER in the list below:Consortium-wide individual research projects:DC1 - Multi-frequency GNSS-R signal processing
DC2 - Investigation of advanced reflectometry instrumental concepts for swarms of nanosatellites
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 Website for additional job detailsWork Location(s)Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC) Country Spain State/Province Barcelona City Cerdanyola del Valles Postal Code 08193 Street Can Magrans GeofieldWhere to apply E-mailestel@ice.csic.esContact State/ProvinceMadrid CityMadrid WebsiteStreetCalle Pinar 25 Postal Code28006 E-Mailestel@ice.csic.es Phone0034 937339788 Mobile Phone0034 622077176STATUS: EXPIRED

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