Master Thesis Student in Aerospace, Physics, Mathematics, m/w/d

German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Oberpfaffenhofen

On-site

EUR 42,000 - 54,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute of Communications and Navigation seeks a candidate to advance research on precise positioning with ambiguity resolution (PPP-AR). The role involves evaluating DIA-based quality control, integrating methods into an existing PPP-AR software, and analyzing performance improvements.

Requirements include Python and MATLAB programming, a background in estimation theory and statistical testing, and a fluent command of English.

Qualifications

Background in GNSS positioning and PPP-AR concepts.
Strong programming skills in Python and MATLAB for data analysis.
Understanding of estimation theory and statistical testing.
Fluent English communication and writing skills.

Responsibilities

Research quality control for precise positioning with ambiguity resolution (PPP-AR).
Conduct literature review on GNSS positioning workflows and ambiguity resolution.
Integrate DIA framework into existing PPP-AR software.
Analyze positioning performance and compare DIA strategies.

Skills

Python

MATLAB

Estimation theory

Statistical testing

GNSS positioning knowledge

Fluent English

Education

Geodesy / GNSS related Master's

Tools

DIA framework

PPP-AR software

Job description

The DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation is dedicated to mission-oriented research in selected areas of communications and navigation. Its work ranges from the theoretical foundations to the demonstration of new procedures and systems in a real environment and is embedded in DLR's Space, Aeronautics, Transport, Security and Digitalization programmes.

What To Expext

Precise Point Positioning with Ambiguity Resolution (PPP-AR) is a high-accuracy GNSS user positioning technique that combines precise satellite orbit, clock offset and bias products with integer ambiguity resolution at the user receiver. This is widely used in geodesy, precise orbit determination, autonomous systems, and other applications where a centimeter-level positioning is required without relying on a local reference station.

Ambiguity resolution is a key step in PPP-AR because the carrier-phase ambiguities are resolved to their integer values, improving positioning precision and convergence. However, a reliable ambiguity fixing depends strongly on the quality of observations, satellite precise products, and proper stochastic modelling and bias handling.

The Detection, Identification and Adaptation (DIA) framework is widely used for quality control, which provides a rigorous statistical procedure to detect and identify the mismodelling. This thesis should evaluate how DIA testing framework can be implemented into mixed-integer models for PPP-AR, looking at how different detection and adaptation strategies might affect the final solution, and quantify improvements that can be obtained in float and fixed positioning performance.

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