Senior Scientist

The TRUTHS satellite mission has recently received significant funding to initiate the implementation phases of the mission. NPL provides the national scientific leadership of the mission, supporting the UKSA and wider stakeholders in building mission readiness and looking forward to exploiting the data following launch.

At NPL, we are looking for a post doctorate graduate to work within the wider team working on TRUTHS reporting to the UK TRUTHS mission scientist, Professor Nigel Fox.

The UK-led and NPL-conceived TRUTHS mission is a metrology focused mission leveraging the many climate and environmental monitoring advancements possible through a uv-vis-nir hyperspectral mission with SI-traceable uncertainties with an order of magnitude improvement over typical current sensors. As an NMI, NPL is supporting the successful implementation of this mission from the metrological aspects of the payload engineering solutions through the core science products extending to a wide range of downstream applications. The successful candidate will possess a skill set that complements and expands that of the current NPL team, based somewhere along this value change but able to understand and develop its in relation to the broader perspective.

You will primarily work on data-based projects applying previous expertise in optical domain remote sensing instrumentation, whether that be orbital, sub-orbital (aircraft or drone-mounted) or in-situ instruments and networks to the TRUTHS mission objectives. Gained through a combination of theory-based learning and on the job training.

Good team working skills are key to allow effective collaboration within the NPL team and academic, industrial and government organisation partners alongside the ability to communicate, through presentations, verbally and written where your work will be disseminated at national and international conferences and peer-reviewed publications.

For this role we encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams and bring fresh perspectives.

In this role, you will ideally be able to:

• Work collaboratively as part of our team and with partner organisations to help us achieve our goals. Write technical documentation and scientific publications, both collaboratively and independently.
• Analyse complex data sets such as satellite imagery or instrument measurement readings, establish new methods to improve the quality assurance, interoperability and metrological traceability of satellite-derived data records and assess their impact in relation to environmental monitoring and climate applications.
• Use mathematical and scientific programming languages such as Python to apply and develop new methods and software tools, working with cloud computing resources such as JASMIN and Google Earth Engine
• Provide leadership, co-ordination and expertise in Climate and Earth Observation relating to the TRUTHS mission
• Establish and apply world class science/engineering knowledge to provide innovative solutions to important challenges
• Build new capability including new products and services aligned to NPL and national space strategy
• Drive collaboration, both internally and externally to develop partnership opportunities to extend the awareness and value of the TRUTHS mission
• Create opportunities to maintain and enhance the TRUTHS mission’s profile externally, promoting and disseminating the capability and the outputs of the work
• Assume responsibility for the standard of delivery in your technical area (to time, cost and quality with focus on the customer) and ensure that all work is delivered in accordance with the NPL quality system
• Coach and mentor more junior scientists to ensure development, succession and knowledge transfer
• Model and promote NPL’s values. Work individually and collectively to embed the values and increase their manifestation in behaviours within your team

The NPL Climate and Earth Observation group are world leaders in the theory, methods, and practice of metrological traceability of Earth Observation (EO) instrumentation and their data products. Our projects span the full life cycle of EO instrumentation traceability; from pre-flight calibration, in-orbit validation & sensor inter-operability, together with L1, L2 and derived product quality assurance and in TRUTHS, will allow a significant step forward in how these methods can be applied to the on-orbit EO fleet towards a climate quality observing system.

You will be based at our Teddington site where we work in a hybrid way, with a mix of remote and office working. We strive to offer a great work life balance – if you are looking for full time, part time or flexible options, we will try to make this work where business possible. This will be dependent on the kind of role you do and part of the business you work in. We believe that diversity of perspective is key to sparking the creativity needed to respond to National environmental challenges and are seeking individuals, who can bring their backgrounds and personal experiences to the team.

About You

• You have proven experience in working with the scientific applications of remote sensing data, or technical instrumentation used to generate data in the optical domain, preferably both.
• Experience with modelling applications would be an asset, including climate models.
• You have a good understanding of the metrological principles of uncertainty analysis.
• You understand the value of providing good customer service to both internal and external customers, wanting to meet and exceed customer expectations through delivering high quality work with proactive communications
• You have strong communication skills with proven ability to collaborate with other senior scientists and project partners
• You have a PhD (or equivalent with several years’ experience) as a minimum in Physics, Maths, Engineering or Earth Science.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward.  We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as practical.