Doctoral researcher in GNSS Reflectometry

About us

The University of Luxembourg is an international research university with a distinctly multilingual and interdisciplinary character.

The Luxembourg Centre for Socio-Environmental Systems strives to grow into an internationally recognised research hub for a sustainable and equitable world. Our goal is to help societies to transition to environmentally friendly and just conditions. At the core is the recognition that global environmental disruptions such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion are closely linked with societal systems. To address these complex issues, we take a systemic approach and study the interconnectedness of human activities and the environment. Our mission is to develop sustainable, socially just, and environmentally friendly solutions by bridging disciplines and fostering collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and society.

The position is hosted within the Research Group "Water Availability, Variability & Scarcity (WAVES)". The group aims to advance a predictive, quantitative understanding of how scarcity emerges and evolves across regions and seasons by developing indicators and models that integrate Earth observation with complementary modelling approaches. The group's research provides the methodological basis to monitor and anticipate changes in water availability and scarcity, and to support cross-scale assessments from basin to global levels.

Navigation satellites such as GPS and Galileo constantly send signals towards the Earth. Part of these signals is reflected by oceans, ice and land, and when a receiver in orbit captures these reflections, they become a free, global source of information about our planet. This is the idea behind GNSS-Reflectometry (GNSS-R).

We are looking for a doctoral candidate (DC5) to join the GLITTER Doctoral Network, funded by the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (Grant Agreement No. 101120117). At LCSES, you will exploit new dual-frequency, dual-polarization GNSS-R observations from space to measure sea ice height with high precision and to retrieve the soil moisture that shapes drought and wildfire risk.

Your role

• Use dual-frequency carrier phase to measure sea ice height and classify ice types
• Develop new approaches for phase unwrapping and cycle slip detection
• Combine scattering models with co- and cross-polarized observations to retrieve ECVs such as soil moisture
• Bring deep learning into the retrieval chain, from raw observations to geophysical products

Within this framework, you will shape your own research questions. Possible directions include:

• Can GNSS-R carrier phase map inland water bodies?
• What can dual-polarization reflections tell us about soil moisture, and how do vegetation and surface roughness affect the signal?
• Can GNSS-R improve estimates of fuel moisture and wildfire danger?
• Where can physics-informed machine learning do better than classical retrieval methods?

For more information about this role, please contact Dr. Sajad Tabibi ().

Your profile

• A master's degree (or equivalent) in geodesy, geophysics, remote sensing, physics, applied mathematics, environmental science, computer science, or a related field
• A solid understanding of remote sensing, ideally radar or microwave techniques; experience with GNSS or Earth observation data is a plus
• Good programming skills in Python, MATLAB or C++
• Interest in machine learning and in applications such as the cryosphere, hydrology or wildfire
• The ability to work independently and in an international, interdisciplinary team
• Eligibility (MSCA Doctoral Networks)
• The position is open to candidates of all nationalities
• You must not hold a doctoral degree on the date of recruitment
• Mobility rule: you must not have lived or carried out your main activity (e.g. work, studies) in Luxembourg for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date
• Operational Language Requirements: Excellent command of English is required

Academic Eligibility (Thesis):

Applicants must demonstrate at least B2-level proficiency in the language of their thesis. For details and accepted certificates, please visit the Application for admission - Doctoral Candidates.

We offer

• A modern, dynamic university with a personal and inclusive atmosphere. Multilingual and international character. Staff coming from more than 90 countries. Member of The Guild of European Research Intensive Universities
• An exceptional research environment, supported by skilled staff and high-quality equipment. Strong links to professional sectors and the Luxembourg labour market. A unique urban campus with excellent infrastructure
• A partner for society and industry. Cooperation with European institutions, innovative companies, the Financial Centre and a wide range of non-academic partners including ministries, local governments, associations, and NGOs

How to apply

Applications should include:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover letter presenting your motivation for this doctoral thesis topic, and explaining how your qualifications and aspirations align with its academic focus
• Transcript of all modules and results from university-level courses taken
• Names, contact information and current position of 1-2 referees who can, upon request, provide an assessment of the application. Please indicate their relationship to you
• One-page proposal outlining a potential PhD topic related to the project
  

Early application is highly encouraged, as the applications will be processed upon reception. Please apply ONLINE formally through the HR system. Applications by Email will not be considered.

All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. In line with our values, the University of Luxembourg promotes an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and are dedicated to upholding equality and respect for our employees and students.

General information:

• Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract 36 Month
• Work Hours: Full Time 40.0 Hours per Week
• Location: Belval Campus
• Internal Title: Doctoral Researcher
• Job Reference: UOL08502

The yearly gross salary for every Doctoral researcher at the UL is EUR 44531 (full time).