Our team and mission

This position is based at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) - Noordwijk, Netherlands

The Earth and Mission Science Division, of the Climate Action, Sustainability and Science Department, Earth Observation Programmes Directorate, is based at the European Space Research and Technology Centre. The Earth and Mission Science Division provides the creative vision for innovation and new discoveries in Earth system science, using Earth Observation (EO) in close cooperation with the scientific community.

The Earth and Mission Science Division team:

• Bridges science and technology by translating ideas and concepts into technical reality and scientific success. It does this by defining, consolidating and managing scientific mission requirements throughout all phases of a mission, and by measuring the maturity of the resulting mission concept;
• Manages scientific research-based studies, providing the scientific foundation for mission concepts and approval, supports the successful development of space and ground segment, in-orbit satellite commissioning and in-orbit scientific achievements;
• Undertakes airborne, marine and terrestrial campaigns contributing the development of new technologies, mission feasibility assessments, calibration/validation and application development;

You will work within the Campaigns Section of the Earth and Mission Science Division, whose role is to provide support throughout the preparation and development of new future Earth Observation missions, and to validate the data being delivered by those satellites already in orbit. Your activities will contribute to and benefit from a diverse and international team of scientists working across a variety of Earth Science disciplines in support of Earth Explorer, Copernicus Sentinels, Earth Watch and other EO missions.

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

Topic of the internship: Augmented Reality Sandbox Programming for SAR Interferometry

The European Space Agency (ESA) is seeking a talented and enthusiastic intern to join our team to help developing a new exhibit for the ESA Open Day. This unique opportunity involves setting up the Augmented Reality (AR) Sandbox developed at UC Davis which is available for download under the GNU General Public Licence. The sandbox is a real-time simple-to-use augmented reality system that builds physical models of landscapes/topography in real time. These models are then instantly scanned into a computer and used as a backdrop for various visual effects and interactive simulations. It can then be easily used as hands-on exhibit, for instance at the ESA ESTEC Open Day. The goal of this internship opportunity is to update the topography-based simulations with interferometric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data to create an innovative hands-on exhibit to give visitors an understanding of the current and upcoming SAR satellite missions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement software for the Augmented Reality Topography Sandbox that integrates Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data;
• Collaborate with the Earth Observation Campaign team to ensure accurate representation of SAR interferometry principles;
• Enhance the user experience by creating intuitive and engaging AR visualizations for the sandbox;
• Prepare and test the sandbox for live demonstrations during the ESA Open Day.

This internship is a fantastic chance to contribute to outreach activities of ESA missions and gain hands-on experience with AR technology in a scientific context. If you have a passion for programming and space science, we encourage you to apply and help us make the ESA Open Day a memorable event for all.
We look forward to your innovative contributions to our team!

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 in your final or second-to-last year of a university course at Master’s level and you need to remain 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 Member State language would be an asset.

Additional Requirements:

• Strong programming skills and knowledge of Linux;
• Proficiency in languages suitable for AR development;
• A basic understanding of SAR interferometry and its applications in Earth observation;
• Creativity and problem-solving abilities to translate complex SAR data into accessible visualizations;
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills to work effectively with the Earth Observation Campaign team.