Postdoc in AI-powered On-board Semantic Earth Observation Data Compression

Postdoc in AI-powered On-board Semantic Earth Observation Data Compression

Aalborg University

Aalborg, Denmark

Your work tasks

In this postdoctoral position you will play a central role towards characterizing the fundamental trade-offs between instrument accuracy, spatial resolution, and update frequency in satellite-based Earth observation using dense nanosatellite and CubeSat constellations. You will work in an international and interdisciplinary environment with experts in Earth observation, satellite communications, and artificial intelligence.

Your main responsibility will be to develop information-theoretic and AI models for semantic compression of Earth observation data, tailored to large-scale nanosatellite constellations. You will investigate how to characterise and optimise the interplay between sensing accuracy, temporal resolution, constellation density, and data volume, with a particular focus on Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry as a low-cost, low-power sensing modality. Based on these models, you will design and analyse new semantic communication schemes that can extract and preserve the essential information in Earth observation data while drastically reducing the amount of data that needs to be sent to Earth.

A key element of your work will be to bridge theory and practice. You will not only work on abstract models and limits, but also apply and validate your methods on real Earth observation datasets, including Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry data, in close collaboration with domain experts. This includes experimenting with artificial intelligence and machine learning based approaches to learn semantic representations, studying long-term and global dependencies in Earth observation data, and evaluating how these can be exploited for on-board compression and decision making in realistic satellite system settings.

You will collaborate closely with the Geodesy group at the Department of Sustainability and Planning, towards shaping theoretical frameworks for massive Earth observation with nanosatellite constellations, and you will have the opportunity to connect your work to related initiatives such as European programmes in Earth observation and space communications. As part of the role, you are also expected to engage in proposal writing and the preparation of new funding applications.

Your competencies

You have completed a PhD in electrical engineering, telecommunications, computer science, applied mathematics, data science or a closely related field. You are comfortable working with abstract concepts in information theory and statistics, and you enjoy translating them into concrete algorithms and experiments with real data. You have experience with information-theoretic modelling, programming, data analysis and statistics.

You bring documented experience with publishing research in recognised international journals and conferences, and you are motivated by contributing to the international research community through high-quality publications. Ideally, you are familiar with at least one of the following domains: satellite communications, remote sensing, Earth observation, or artificial intelligence and machine learning.

You are motivated, proactive and curious, enjoy working at the intersection of several disciplines and are comfortable taking initiative in developing new research ideas.

You thrive in a collaborative research environment where ideas are openly discussed, where feedback is part of the daily work, and where results are developed in close dialogue with colleagues from different backgrounds. At the same time, you can work independently, plan your work, and drive your own projects forward. You communicate clearly in writing and in speech, and you are able to present complex concepts in an accessible way to colleagues from other disciplines. Proficiency in English at C1 level or above is required for this position, both for scientific writing and for daily collaboration in an international environment.