Research Associate in satellite imaging for sustainability, wellbeing, and prosperity

Newcastle University; North East; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK university seeks a Research Associate for the Imagery Smart Data Service project focused on enhancing satellite imagery usability in social science. The role involves developing workflows for satellite data and working with partners in government and academia. Applicants should have expertise in Earth Observation data, programming experience, and a PhD in a relevant field. This is a fixed-term position for 34 months with excellent benefits.

Benefits

Generous holiday package

Pension schemes

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Experience developing processing methods for satellite data.
• Knowledge of image processing methods for optical or thermal data.
• Experience writing for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Develop processing workflows for satellite image data.
• Undertake research utilizing satellite imagery.
• Collaborate with partners on geospatial data applications.

Skills

Expertise in satellite Earth Observation data

Programming (e.g., Python)

Technical writing skills

Education

PhD in remote sensing or related field

Higher degree in Engineering or Computer Science

Tools

Machine learning frameworks

Job description

Salary

£35,608.00 - £46,049.00 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 08 October 2025

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to work within the new Imagery Smart Data Service (Imago: https://imago.ac.uk/), one of a family of data services funded by ESRC\'s Smart Data Research UK programme. Imago is led by the University of Liverpool and in partnership with Newcastle University. We aim to radically transform the usability, utility, and usage of satellite imagery in social science, public health and policy making. You will work with the team and collaborate with data, distribution and application partners to unlock the potential of satellite imagery to solve some of the most urgent challenges facing the UK - especially where prosperity, wellbeing and sustainability are concerned. You will develop data processing workflows and data products in diverse application areas such as green space, energy or air pollution.

You will work closely with project co-investigator Dr Maria Peppa, other academic co-investigators within Imago, and the service director (Professor Arribas-Bel, Liverpool University), as well as research software engineers and professional support staff, and will be part of the Modelling, Evidence and Policy research group at Newcastle University. The role will be based in the Civil and Geospatial Engineering Discipline in the School of Engineering. Civil and Geospatial Engineering covers research and teaching in Environmental, Future Mobility, Geospatial Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering and Water Engineering. You will have access to a range of Earth Observation and geospatial facilities, including drones, GNSS, and laser scanners as well as spectroradiometer, to support calibration and validation activities. Further information on the School of Engineering can be found on https://www.ncl.ac.uk/engineering/. Further information surrounding geospatial research can be found on https://www.ncl.ac.uk/engineering/research/civil-engineering/geospatial-engineering/.

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of research role profiles. These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

This role is fixed term for a period of 34 months.

For enquiries, please rach out to [e-mail]

Key Accountabilities

The successful applicant will work closely with the entire Imago team and a range of key partners, including government, industry and the academic community and will contribute to:

• Acquisition of, and development of, processing workflows for satellite image and other geospatial data, including calibration and pre-processing where required.
• Undertaking research utilising satellite imagery (e.g. Sentinel, Landsat, and higher resolution commercial imagery) in substantive areas related to wellbeing, sustainability, and prosperity.
• Working with Research Software Engineers and Earth Observation experts to explore, develop and deploy machine learning and deep learning models applied to satellite imagery.
• Development of open data products for use by wider research and policy communities, as well as the Imago team.
• Contribution to the development of open-source software and educational materials.
• Development and writing of academic articles for publication in internationally renowned journals.
• Disseminating Imago results to technical and non-technical audiences.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential:

• Expertise in and knowledge of satellite Earth Observation data sources and image processing methods, which could include as applied to optical, thermal or radar data.
• Demonstrable experience developing processing methods and workflows for satellite or airborne remote sensing data sets
• Experience in programming / statistical programming (e.g. Python), ideally applied to image analysis and georeferenced data
• Experience in writing for technical and non-technical audiences

Desirable:

• Demonstrable experience in image calibration, pre-processing and validation methods
• Experience in the application of machine learning, computer vision or deep learning methods, or a strong willingness to develop these skills
• Experience working with partners and stakeholders to co-develop research priorities, especially around identifying existing data gaps, and in maintaining effective relationships
• Knowledge or understanding of social science/health/environmental vulnerability and hazards application areas
• Understanding and / or experience in data infrastructure requirements and uses
• Experience in training non-specialists in use and applications of satellite image data
• Strong communication skills and comfortable with public speaking in formal and informal settings
• A track record of publication in peer-reviewed journals

Attributes and Behaviour

• Interest and ambition in conducting cutting edge research in reproducible ways, at the intersection of social science, health, sustainability, satellite imagery and (geographic) data science, and in particular, in the development of data products in these areas.
• Ability to work well alone and in a team, with excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work autonomously and lead research tasks, taking ownership of aspects of a research project
• Good project management: comfortable working on multiple projects, with various deadlines, at the same time.
• Aptitude for working and communicating across disciplinary boundaries and different communities.

Qualifications

• A PhD in remote sensing, geospatial engineering or computational sciences (computer science, data science) or related discipline (Research Associate level)
• A higher degree in Engineering or Computer Science or related disciple (Research Assistant)

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID: 28612

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