Young Graduate Trainee for Meteor Data Analysis

The Meteor Research Group is a research team in the Science Support Office in the Directorate of Science. The Office provides project and study scientist support to all ESA’s space science missions, including astronomy, fundamental physics, solar system, heliospheric, and planetary. These scientists follow their missions from ‘cradle to grave’ and are responsible for achieving the maximum scientific return within relevant constraints. Staff at the Office, together with Research Fellows and Young Graduate Trainees, also carry out research in their fields of interest.

The Meteor Research Group performs scientific investigation of meteors. These are generated by meteoroids, small rocky or cometary objects entering Earth’s atmosphere and generating light. A double-station video camera system on the Canary Islands is used to observe meteors and compute their 3-D trajectories. From that, their orbits in the Solar System can be calculated. The Group is building up a system with fish-eye cameras (based on a French design, FRIPON: Fireball Recovery & InterPlanetary Observation Network) to observe the brightest meteors (fireballs) in the Netherlands. Meteoroids mainly come from comets. We therefore also use data from ESA’s comet- chaser Rosetta to look at the dust properties close to their source. We look at the impacts of meteoroids, e.g., on the International Space Station.

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

As a YGT you will be expected to contribute to the following topics: determination of meteoroid flux at the Earth; determination of meteoroid orbits and linking them to their planet bodies; determining physical and compositional properties of meteoroids.

The Group is establishing new fireball cameras in the Netherlands and collaborates with teams mainly in Germany and France; you will be part of this research effort.

Depending on your background, different software or hardware-related projects can be envisaged. Possible options:

• ensuring all available data processing routines are combined in a single processing pipeline;
• working on calibration of instruments in the laboratory and using real-sky data;
• performing data analysis, e.g. to use data from meteoroid streams to constrain their parent body.

The main goal of the Traineeship will be to acquaint you with scientific methods and train you in professionally performing projects.

You should have just completed, or be in the final year of a university course at Master’s level (or equivalent) in a technical or scientific discipline.

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.

You should demonstrate good interpersonal skills and the capacity to work both independently and as part of a team.

During the interview your motivation and overall professional perspective/career goals will also be explored.