Our team and mission

The Sentinel-3 and Sentinel-3 Next Generation Optical (S3NGO) missions are implemented under the Copernicus Programme. The satellites carry instruments that monitor ocean colour, land processes, clouds and dust, and sea and land surface temperature at a global scale, providing crucial data for applications such as ocean and weather forecasting, land use, climate change and atmospheric monitoring. The Sentinel-3 mission comprises four satellites, of which the first and second units were launched in 2016 and 2018 respectively, while the third and fourth units, currently in storage, are to be launched in the second half of the decade, with Sentinel-3 C satellite launch date provisionally in 2026 timeframe.

As part of the global effort to develop next generation missions beyond those already operational, Sentinel-3 Next Generation Optical mission aims at providing continuity of the Sentinel-3 optical measurements beyond 2035, and will also introduce several enhancements over the current generation. Under the direct authority of the Sentinel-3 Project Manager, the project started its definition phases (Phase A/B1) in 2024.

As part of the Copernicus Space Segment Programme, Earth Observation Projects Department, Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes, the Copernicus S3NGO Mission, System and Operations Section is responsible for the overall Space Segment requirements related to the mission analysis and implementation of the S3NGO systems, as well as for the preparation for the operations during all phases up to and including in-orbit commissioning and support to the routine operational elements. This includes development and validation activities related to software interfacing to the operations segments as well as end-to-end performance simulator development in support of mission performance assessment.

Candidates interested are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: Generation of representative Input Scenes for the Sentinel-3 Next Generation Optical (S3NGO) mission Observing System Simulator

You will be involved in the definition phase (mostly Phase B1) of Sentinel-3 Next Generation Optical mission in support of the industrial development of the Observing System Simulator (OSS) for the two S3NGO optical instruments: Advanced Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (AOLCI) and Advanced Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (ASLSTR). 

Typically, in Phases A/B1, the OSS consists of: 

1. an instrument module which simulates the instrument behaviour and generates Level 0 data (non-calibrated data); and
2. a processor module which implements the ground processing chain from Level 0 to Level 1 (calibrated data).

To perform a realistic assessment, the simulator will need as input a Scene Generator Module, that generates representative, scientifically valid scenes covering the full spectrum of the two S3NGO instruments, i.e. essentially hyperspectral in the VIS/NIR plus the discrete SWIR/TIR channels. 

You will start from a predefined Bottom-of-Atmosphere (BoA) dataset, based on Copernics Sentinel-2 and NASA Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) level 2 surface reflectance product, to be properly interpolated spatially and spectrally; and will use a Radiative Transfer Model, either open source algorithms, or the ESA-developed Generic Simulator of Earth Observation Optical Sensors (GSOOS), to obtain a range of Top-of-Atmosphere (ToA) input scenes, with different atmospheric states and cloud coverage fractions to simulate a wide range of conditions. You will then run the generated ToA inputs scenes through the industrial OSS to obtain representative S3NGO Level 1 datasets. 

In addition, if compatible with the internship timeframe, you will be involved in the Sentinel-3 C Commissioning Phase, as observer, and you will have the opportunity to visual inspect and preliminary process the in-flight generated products to perform a parallel assessment in terms of products data quality (e.g. radiometric, geometric, etc.).

Behavioural competencies

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

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education

You must be a university student, preferably studying at master’s level. In addition, you must be able to prove that you will be enrolled at your University for the entire duration of the internship.

Additional requirements

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another ESA Member State language is an asset.

During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.

Knowledge and background in atmospheric physics or optical payload simulation as well as having common programming languages (C++, Python, Matlab) and image processing skills (SNAP) are considered an asset.