Visiting Researchers in onboard AI for Φsat-2 mission

Deadline: November 5, 2025 at 23:59 CET

The ESA Φ-lab CIN is now opening applications for visionary researchers and innovators in Transformative Technologies to strengthen ESA Φ-lab’s ongoing and future projects in Earth Observation (EO). Find out more and apply now.

Main Information

🖊️ Position Title: Research Support Scientist – Onboard Intelligence for Φsat-2

🎓 For: Master or PhD students in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Embedded Systems, or a related field.

💻 Minimum Requirements: experience with PyTorch and Deep Learning.

📍 Location: ESA Φ-lab, ESRIN, Frascati, Italy.

📅 Starting: The position is available to start as soon as possible and will last for 3-6 months.

Introduction and Context

This call is in the context of the European Space Agency (ESA) Φ-lab Collaborative Innovation Network (CIN), an initiative to foster collaborations among Earth Observation and Transformative Technologies experts. The CIN was created with the aim of attracting high-level researchers, distinguished advisors and key leaders in the above-mentioned fields to the ESA Φ-lab at the ESA Centre for Earth Observation (ESRIN), Frascati, Italy.

ESA Φ-lab is the division of ESA with the mission to accelerate the future of EO by means of transformational innovation, i.e., innovations with the potential to create or transform industries via new technologies, thereby strengthening the global competitiveness of the European EO industrial and research sectors.

Pi School, which operates in the field of AI and research innovation and has numerous academic contacts through its staff, is responsible for supporting ESA Φ-lab in this mission by creating, managing, coordinating, animating the ESA Φ-lab CIN.

Purpose and Scope of Work

This specific call aims to engage with young researchers (Master or PhD candidates, or equivalent) in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Embedding System or a related field that are eager to work on AI for Φsat-2 mission. This collaboration offers a unique opportunity to shape next-generation AI capabilities in space and EO, with the potential to deliver high technological impact. The position is available to start as soon as possible (remotely) and in Q1 2026 (on site) and will last for 3-6 months.

The Φsat-2 mission, developed under the European Space Agency’s (ESA) FutureEO programme, represents a further step into edge computing and EO by integrating AI directly onboard. This 6U CubeSat mission is designed to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of real time, in-orbit data processing using AI, significantly reducing the latency between data acquisition and actionable insight delivery. The primary objective of Φsat-2 is to validate the operational capability of running multiple AI applications onboard a satellite. These applications are designed to process raw image data in real-time, enabling the satellite to transmit only the most relevant information back to Earth. This approach not only optimizes bandwidth usage but also enhances the responsiveness of EO systems to dynamic environmental and societal needs.

Who are we looking for?

Through our selective process, we are looking for a Visiting Researcher, i.e. a highly motivated researcher in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Embedded Systems, or a related field to support ongoing projects that apply AI to Φsat-2 mission. This role will focus on designing, optimizing, and validating AI models for edge computing in space, enabling intelligent decision making directly onboard the satellite. Candidates should have strong programming skills. They should have at least a strong interest in (or preferred: experience with) EO data and satellite systems. However, the call is open to candidates with expertise in Artificial Intelligence, even if their primary focus has not been on EO or satellite systems.

The researcher would join onsite at the ESA Φ-lab for a period of 3 to 6 months to collaborate with ESA Φ-lab staff and research fellows. We will prefer candidates that are interested in continuing the collaboration after the visiting period ends, for example in the context of their PhD.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and optimize AI models for onboard deployment on Φsat-2.
• Implement and test edge AI pipelines for onboard EO data processing.
• Collaborate with hardware and mission teams to ensure compatibility with Φsat-2.
• Contribute to the analysis of in-orbit performance.
• Contribute to scientific publications and outreach activities related to Φsat-2.

Requirements:

• M.Sc. or M.Eng. in Computer Science, AI, Embedded Systems, or related discipline.
• Ideally experience with AI model compression, quantization, and deployment on edge devices.
• Familiarity with EO data and satellite systems is a plus.
• Proficiency in Python and ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TF, ONNX).
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work in interdisciplinary teams.

Opportunities:

• Be part of a pioneering mission at the intersection of AI and space.
• Collaborate with leading experts in AI, EO, and space systems.
• Contribute to cutting-edge research and innovation in onboard intelligence.

Type of Engagement

As a Visiting Researcher, you will be engaged through the Φ-lab Visiting Researcher Scheme: this is a collaboration performed at ESA Φ-lab with the goal of jointly advancing a specific research proposal of shared interest by leveraging shared expertise, resources and time within an ESA Φ-lab team. The collaboration is unpaid and ideal for researchers already affiliated with an academic institution or employed by a private company. Under specific conditions, ESA may provide coverage for travel and accommodation.

If selected, ESA will send you an invitation letter (see template here).

How to apply?

Interested candidates are invited to submit their application, including a detailed CV and any supporting documents or references in the form below. They are asked to include a brief research proposal or concept note outlining a potential area of collaboration aligned with both ESA Φ-lab's strategic focus and the topic summarized above, where they believe they could make a significant impact.

Selection Criteria:

• Technical expertise and experience
• Alignment with ESA Φ-lab’s strategic objectives and mission goals
• Availability and flexibility for short-term engagements
• Interest in continuing collaboration after the stay at Φ-lab ends
• Compatibility with ESA Φ-lab’s collaborative and exploratory working culture

This call represents a unique opportunity to contribute to ESA Φ-lab and, more broadly, to ESA’s pioneering projects, influencing the future of space technology. We look forward to welcoming esteemed researchers who are eager to collaborate on transformative space initiatives.

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