Location of work to be performed: Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal – Headquarters of the AIR Centre

Contract Duration: 2 years

The Atlantic International Research Centre (AIR Centre) has a vacancy for a Project Officer for the Earth Observation Laboratory (EO Lab).You will be joining a dynamic and multidisciplinary team and work in the diverse and emerging fields of Earth Observation (EO), such as detection of marine litter, monitoring of air and water quality and new applications in sectors such as aquaculture and fishing. As a Project Officer, you will work with a blend of technical, scientific, industrial and outreach activities while supporting and identifying new opportunities within the AIR Centre missions. You will support the preparation and setup of the AIR Centre UNEP GRID (United Nations Global Resource Information Database) node and support the interface between the European Space Agency (ESA) Phi Lab and AIR Centre ESA_LAB@Azores.

You will also have the opportunity to work in a high-throughput edge-computing node for EO data processing, as well as with a direct receiving station (DRS) for several satellites

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Qualifications and Required Skills:

• Academic qualifications: at least a master’s degree or equivalent in geology, physics, earth resources, remote sensing and related areas and with minor or extensive experience in either environmental engineering, GIS, data science tools, computer science, or related fields.
• In depth experience of satellite remote sensing and processing of geospatial such as Sentinel and MODIS.
• Familiarity with European Framework projects.
• Experience in managing projects and interfacing with stakeholders.
• Able to work in dynamic teams, with excellent inter-personal and communication skills.
• Excellent English verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience in the organization of outreach and training activities would be desirable.

Working Place:

The EO Lab is a dedicated unit of the AIR Centre, located in the TERINOV Technological Park (Terceira island, Azores) and is established as ESA_LAB@Azores, a laboratory to set-up an institutional link between academia, high-tech enterprises, research institutions and European Space Agency to explore innovative applications of space technologies of observation in the Atlantic area.

The EO Lab contributes to maximizing the integration of a distributed space ecosystem, extending the use of space technologies and applications to support societal challenges, public demands and policies in the Atlantic space and contributing to a better knowledge of understudied areas. It is also a laboratory to test procedures and methods to connect peripheral regions into globally competitive technological sectors by supporting research, innovation and entrepreneurship. The aim is to set-up a collaborative framework to identify, consolidate, sustain, stimulate, promote, and build capacity for existing, new and future EO-based services of use for Atlantic Ocean countries.

The AIR Centre is a geographically distributed network that aims to improve the development of large-scale joint initiatives, projects and integrated actions, taking advantage of synergies of existing and connected distributed infrastructures, institutions and resources in the Atlantic region with particular attention to both sides of the tropical and South Atlantic areas. Its main purpose is to strengthen research and innovation cooperation among the Atlantic countries to address the challenges of developing a more integrated and connected sustainable blue-economy in the Atlantic basin. It focuses on enhancing scientific and technological collaboration between public and private entities in a wide range of areas related to the marine and maritime environment, based on a network with the capacity to attract scientists and technology-based companies. It aims to accelerate the generation and flow of knowledge of excellence and its valuation in the field of blue economy, including aspects such as climate change, food and energy security, circular economy, maritime technologies and the conservation of marine natural resources.

We pursue the use and management of the marine and oceanic environment in a more intelligent, sustainable and inclusive way. The United Nations agenda for 2030 is an important reference for the AIR Centre, which works to achieve its objectives, developing effective, viable capacities, knowledge and technologies for the region. It aims to improve the mutual understanding and collaboration of countries, regions and entities connected by the Atlantic Ocean, by strengthening cooperation with the European Union and by harnessing the capabilities of its outermost Atlantic territories. Ultimately, it seeks to materialise the benefits of the blue economy in the Atlantic, promoting the skills, knowledge, and technological solutions necessary to address social and economic challenges.

The AIR Centre can directly reach a significant segment of the main stakeholder institutions in a fast and efficient way, accelerating the connectivity and interaction of the Atlantic region. This way, it has a unique capacity to effectively influence the lives of the Atlantic population.

Application Process:

Interested candidates should send a single PDF file (please name it: Name_EOLAB.PDF), to recruitment@aircentre.org containing:

1. Motivation Letter
2. Detailed CV
3. Contacts of 2 references

The deadline for application submission is May 9th, 2022. Selected candidates will be invited for an interview, via videoconference.

Vacancy Notice here