ABOUT THE COMPANY
Planetek Italia is an Italian Benefit Company established in 1994, bringing together more than 140 people with expertise in Geoinformatics, Space solutions and Earth science.
We provide solutions designed to unlock the value of geospatial data throughout its entire lifecycle - from acquisition, processing, storage and management to analysis, interpretation and sharing - helping organisations turn complex data into actionable information.
Our activities span a wide range of application areas, including environmental and land monitoring, open government and smart cities, engineering, agriculture, defence and security, satellite missions and space exploration.
Our expertise covers the processing of satellite, aerial and drone data for cartography and geo-information production; continuous Earth monitoring to support decision-making and operational activities; the design and development of Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI); real-time geo-location solutions based on technologies such as GPS, Galileo and GNSS; and the development of on-board satellite software and ground segment infrastructures.
We also develop cloud-based services and platforms that transform Earth Observation and geospatial data into operational information. Among our flagship innovations is Rheticus®, our cloud-based platform providing continuous geospatial monitoring services to public and private organisations.
Planetek Italia is part of the D-Orbit Group, an international Space group that brings together complementary technologies and expertise across the Space value chain. Within the Group, Planetek Italia contributes its distinctive capabilities in Earth Observation, geospatial technologies, ground segment solutions and satellite software, working in an increasingly integrated environment with teams and expertise from across the Group.
We believe in combining technological excellence with curiosity, collaboration and a strong sense of responsibility, developing solutions that help organisations better understand our world and contribute to a more sustainable and secure future.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS “EO DATA SCIENCE SPECIALIST”
You will contribute to Earth Observation and Data Science projects, developing algorithms and AI-based solutions that transform satellite data into valuable information and operational geospatial products.
Working alongside engineers, researchers and domain experts, you will have the opportunity to explore emerging technologies, experiment with innovative approaches and contribute to projects addressing environmental and geospatial challenges.
In this role, you will analyze scientific and satellite payload data, contributing to the design and development of processing algorithms that transform raw data into analysis-ready datasets and, ultimately, into value-added products and services.
In this role, you will:
- Analyze and process Earth Observation data from satellite sensors, including optical and radar imagery.
- Design, develop and optimize data processing algorithms and workflows to transform raw satellite data into meaningful information.
- Apply machine learning, artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics techniques to Earth Observation applications.
- Develop and test innovative solutions through rapid prototyping, experimentation and performance evaluation.
- Contribute to the development of value-added geospatial products and services for environmental monitoring and other application domains.
- Analyze and process Earth Observation data from optical and radar satellite sensors to address environmental and geospatial challenges.
- Design, implement and optimize algorithms and software pipelines for satellite data processing, applying strong programming skills and a solid understanding of mathematical and physical principles.
- Develop, train and evaluate Deep Learning models for Earth Observation applications, including image classification, object detection, semantic segmentation and change detection.
- Explore and adapt state-of-the-art AI methods, including Geospatial Foundation Models, assessing their accuracy, generalization capabilities and computational efficiency.
- Develop and validate innovative solutions through rapid prototyping, experimentation and rigorous performance evaluation, translating research outcomes into operational geospatial products and services.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, research institutions and technology partners to define technical requirements, solve complex problems and integrate solutions into broader processing workflows.
- Support the preparation of technical proposals and tender submissions, including ESA proposals, by contributing to the state-of-the-art review, technical approach, methodology, work plan and validation strategy.
YOUR BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE
You have an MSc or equivalent qualification in Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, Earth Sciences or a related field, along with practical experience in Deep Learning, Earth Observation and scientific software development.
We are looking for someone with:
- Strong Python programming skills, including the ability to develop, test and maintain reliable scientific software.
- Practical experience in designing, training and evaluating Deep Learning models using frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
- Experience working with Earth Observation data and a sound understanding of remote sensing principles, including optical and radar imagery.
- A solid foundation in mathematics and physics, particularly linear algebra, probability, statistics, numerical methods and optimization.
- Experience in image processing and the development of algorithms for analysing complex spatial and temporal datasets.
- Familiarity with scientific and geospatial libraries, such as NumPy, SciPy, pandas, scikit-learn, GDAL, Rasterio and GeoPandas.
- A rigorous approach to experimentation and validation, including the ability to assess model performance and interpret results critically.
- Good written and spoken English and Italian, with the ability to communicate technical concepts and contribute to technical documentation and proposals.
The following skills would be an advantage:
- Experience applying Deep Learning to Earth Observation tasks such as land-cover mapping, object detection, semantic segmentation or change detection.
- Familiarity with Geospatial Foundation Models, transfer learning and methods for adapting models across sensors, regions or acquisition periods.
- Experience with satellite time series, multispectral imagery or SAR data processing.
- Familiarity with Git, Linux, Docker and reproducible development workflows.
- Experience processing large geospatial datasets using GPU computing, parallel processing or cloud environments.
- Experience deploying and integrating AI models into operational processing pipelines.
- Previous contributions to technical proposals or tender submissions, particularly for ESA or other research and innovation programmes.
Beyond technical skills, we value curiosity, initiative, analytical thinking and the ability to work collaboratively while taking ownership of your activities. We are looking for someone who enjoys solving complex problems, exploring new ideas and turning research into practical solutions.
WHY PLANETEK
At Planetek Italia, we believe that results matter more than hours and that people come before skills. Passion, accountability, collaboration and professionalism shape the way we work.
You will join an environment where curiosity and initiative are encouraged, knowledge is shared and responsibility grows with experience. You will work alongside highly specialised professionals and contribute to projects at the intersection of science, technology and real-world applications.
We value and respect differences, recognising that diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences lead to better ideas, decisions and results. We are committed to providing a workplace where everyone is respected, valued and free to contribute.
WHAT WE OFFER
We want people to have the conditions and opportunities they need to do their best work and continue growing.
We offer:
- A gross annual base salary between €30.000 and €35.000, depending on experience and skills.
- A performance-based variable component.
- Meal vouchers.
- Access to Wellhub for fitness, wellness and wellbeing services.
- Access to Serenis, including unlimited individual psychotherapy, nutrition and coaching sessions.
- Professional development opportunities through training, books, workshops, conferences and participation in national and international projects.
Final compensation will reflect the candidate's experience, skills and responsibilities, ensuring consistency with comparable positions within the company.
Working Model
The position is based in Bari and follows our flexible hybrid working model, with up to 80% remote work. An initial period at our Bari office is expected to support onboarding and integration with the team.
Availability for customer meetings, events and business travel in Italy and abroad is required.
ARE YOU INTERESTED?
Tell us a little about yourself, your achievements, and your career aspirations. Along with your CV, briefly explain why you would choose Planetek Italia and why we should choose you.
Don't meet every requirement? We still encourage you to apply. Applicants must already have the legal right to work in Italy.
Here’s how our hiring process works—simple and straightforward:
- Application Review – We carefully review applications that match the key requirements of the role. If your profile is selected for the next stage, a member of our People & Culture team will contact you directly.
We genuinely appreciate every application, even when there is no match for the current opportunity.
- First Interview – An initial conversation to get to know each other, discuss the opportunity and align expectations. Depending on the role, you may meet our People & Culture team, members of the relevant team, or both in the same interview.
- Further Interviews – Where needed, one or more additional conversations focused on the skills, experience and approach relevant to the role.
- Offer – If there is a strong mutual fit, we will share an offer and discuss the next steps.
The exact process may vary depending on the role.
We aim to keep candidates informed throughout the process and appreciate your patience as we carefully evaluate applications.
We look forward to getting to know you and discovering what we could build together.
