About this job

We are recruiting towards Sapienza’s team of Data Processing Operations Engineers to work on our Customers Site (EUMETSAT). The Data processing Operations Engineers will provide services to operational and future programs of the Real-time services and System Operations (RSO) division and covers data processing and product extraction systems for EUMETSAT’s Operations Data Processing (OPS-DP) team in the areas:

• Operations of Level 0 to Level 2 data processing systems;
• Implementation, verification and operational validation of new data processing systems and their evolutions;
• Contribution to the operations preparation and system verification/validation for new satellite systems;
• Provision of on-call support and support to anomaly investigation;
• Preparation and maintenance of operations documentation;
• Training of operational personnel for data processing operations;
• Contribution to the definition, development and operational validation of operational concepts for future satellite systems;
• Contribution to the system verification and validation activities for future satellite systems, including formal system operational scenario validation, SSVTs, AIV, Commissioning and operations rehearsals.

Responsibilities

Routine, non-routine and contingency operations

Provide Routine Operations services for the operational data processing and product extraction systems for all EUMETSAT Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions including:

• Conduct and coordinate routine and special operations,
• Monitor the performance and quality of DP systems, report and investigate anomalies, participate in the correction of anomalies and propose evolutions,
• Create and maintain schedules,
• Contribute to the preparation and maintenance of documentation to perform routine, non-routine and contingency operations activities, including operational procedures,
• working practices and user guides, in accordance with EUMETSAT document management and configuration control processes,
• Contribute to the maintenance of statistics databases and product quality monitoring systems,
• Provide statistics and inputs for periodic OPS reporting as defined in operations documentations,
• Provide periodic inputs to mission Key Performance Indicators (KPIs),
• Provide training as requested,
• Contribute the medium and long-term operations planning.

Operations evolution

Provide services for the evolution of operational data processing and product extraction systems for all EUMETSAT GEO and LEO missions, including:

• Contribute to the definition of evolutions including requirements specifications and further development,
• Evaluate the technical requirements, and assess their compliance with the relevant ground segment requirements,
• Contribute to the operational validation of upgrades, and to the compilation of the relevant operational validation reports,
• Contribute to the product validation activities of new and improved products, and to the compilation of the relevant product validation reports,
• In coordination with the relevant division from the Technical and Scientific Support (TSS) department, define and implement procedures and tools for the quality
• monitoring of image and meteorological products and for monitoring of radiometric calibration.

Operations preparation

Provide services for the Operations Preparation of data processing, product extraction systems, their off-line functions and test tools for the future EUMETSAT GEO and LEO missions, e.g. MTG, EPS-SG including:

• Contribute to reviews, particularly identifying system deficiencies, raising operational risks and suggest their potential resolution,
• Contribute to workshops with providing data processing expertise,
• Contribute to the preparation and tracking of the status for configuration items validation and Operational Scenario Validation (OSV),
• Contribute to the definition of operations concepts, operations preparations and commissioning activities,
• Contribute to the definition of algorithm improvements in liaison with relevant scientists in the RSP Division,
• Contribute to the integration, verification and validation test campaigns within the relevant ground segments,
• Contribute to the definition of transition plans,
• Contribute to the generation of operational documentation.

Profile

• Master’s degree in an engineering or scientific discipline relevant to the job profile (e.g. atmospheric physics, remote sensing, meteorology or equivalent.)
• At least 5 years’ experience in remote sensing and processing of data from relevant space borne instruments preferably in an operational environment.
• At least 2 years’ experience in the real-time or near real-time acquisition, level-0 processing, level-1 processing and calibration processing of data from high data-rates space-borne imaging or sounding instruments of Earth Observation missions, preferably in an operational environment.
• At least 2 years’ experience in the operations of complex data processing or product extraction systems, and experience of verification and validation of such systems.
• At least 2 years’ experience with UNIX / Linux systems preferably in an operational environment.
• Experience with or significant knowledge of some of the following:
  • Algorithm specification, development, or validation for scientific, meteorological or other remote sensing missions,
  • Mass/bulk processing and reprocessing systems, focused on ‘Big Data’ paradigms and technologies,
  • Experience with product generation software from EUMETSAT satellites, or satellites with similar instrumentation,
  • Preparation of requirements, design, interfaces and testing documentation,
  • Quality control, satellite instrument calibration and IV&V,
  • Spacecraft or ground segment operations,
  • Relevant technical standards (e.g. ECSS, CCSDS, OGC),
  • Data types (e.g. AHRPT, BUFR, GRIB, HDF, HRIT, NetCDF),
  • Knowledge of relational Databases and database management systems (e.g. Oracle, PostgreSQL, MariaDB).
  • Scripting or programming languages (e.g. bash, C / C++, IDL, Matlab, perl, Python), Communications protocols (TCP/IP, MBSS)
• Experience in managing and reporting on schedule, anomalies/issues and recommended resolution, risk register, trends analysis
• Willingness to provide 24 hours a day on-call support, including during weekends and public holidays on a regular basis (on rotation).
• Fluency in English;