Mathematician, Physicist or similar (f/m/x) - Improving the data quality of wind and aerosol products from ESA’s Aeolus satellite mission

Location

Weßling | Germany

Job description

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Scientific activities / projects

Improving the data quality of wind and aerosol products from ESA’s Aeolus satellite mission

Aeolus Artist View

Starting date

1 May 2024

Duration of contract

3 years

Remuneration

According to the German 13 TVöD

Type of employment

Full-time (part-time possible)

The Lidar Department at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IPA) develops and operates ground-based, airborne and spaceborne lidar systems for active remote sensing of important meteorological quantities and atmospheric trace gases for weather and climate research and air traffic safety. With its lidar systems, the department participates in national and international flight measurement campaigns for atmospheric and climate research and contributes to the investigation of the atmosphere from the ground to the lower thermosphere. A major focus of the Lidar Department's work is the support of ESA's Aeolus mission with the first worldwide wind lidar on-board. Aeolus was successfully launched into space in August 2018 and delivered profiles from wind and aerosol until its end in July 2023. DLR supports the Aeolus mission as part of the Data Innovation and Science Cluster (DISC) funded by ESA also for the upcoming phase F. The DISC is a consortium of 10 international partners lead by DLR´s IPA. Its activities in phase F include e.g. further development of retrieval algorithms and processors, reprocessing of data products for the complete mission and the impact assessment of Aeolus wind data for numerical weather prediction. The main focus of the open position will be to improve the data quality of wind and aerosol products of Aeolus and improvement of bias-correction methods. In addition, the performance of a possible follow-on mission from ESA and EUMETSAT should be studied using end-to-end simulations.

Within the scope of this research field, your responsibilities will include:

• Improve the data quality of wind and aerosol products from ESA’s Aeolus satellite
  • Independent development and refinement of methods for the correction of systematic errors and calibration of Aeolus data products
  • Implementation of these methods in scientific prototype processors
  • Coordination and support of reprocessing activities in cooperation with ESA and project partners in the Aeolus DISC (Data Innovation and Science Cluster)
  • Leading of work packages for the Aeolus DISC project in phase F
• Study of the improved performance of an Aeolus follow-on mission from ESA and EUMETSAT using end-to-end simulations:
  • Simulations of the expected performance of the Aeolus follow-on mission with an end-to-end Simulator using ideal and realistic atmospheric scenes
  • Development of lidar instrument prototypes for the implementation in the end-to-end simulator
  • Development of retrieval algorithm and bias correction methods for the Aeolus follow-on mission

• Completed scientific university studies (Master/Diploma) in mathematics, physics, remote sensing, meteorology, data science or in a comparable field of study
• Very good knowledge in scientific programming with Python or Matlab
• Willngness and physical ability to conduct measurement campaigns in Germany and abroad
• Very good command of written and spoken English
• Desired qualifications:
• Experience in developing retrieval algorithms and data products for satellite missions
• Knowledge of lidar remote sensing, especially the Aeolus mission and its measurement principles and data processing desirable
• Ability to work in a team

Look forward to a fulfilling job with an employer who appreciates your commitment and supports your personal and professional development. Our unique infrastructure offers you a working environment in which you have unparalleled scope to develop your creative ideas and accomplish your professional objectives. Our human resources policy places great value on a healthy family and work-life-balance as well as equal opportunities for persons of all genders (f/m/x). Individuals with disabilities will be given preferential consideration in the event their qualifications are equivalent to those of other candidates.

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