Marco works as a Product Data Circulation System Engineer for Serco in the Copernicus Marine System Dissemination Unit (CMS DU).
Copernicus is the European Union's Earth Observation Programme, looking at our planet and its environment for the benefit of Europe’s citizens. If you had spoken with Marco two years ago, he would never have imagined he would be working for a global company that supports one of the world’s most prestigious space agencies.
Before joining Serco, Marco was an IT system operator in a critical and emergency area for the Italian Government Health Service, which offers 24/7 healthcare support – an experience that enabled him to develop a strong sense of support for the public. For this reason, joining Serco and supporting a service that contributes to marine protection and sustainable management was an ideal position for him and his capabilities.
Marco is among the 1,800 Serco colleagues who are currently working on civil and military space programmes in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, France, the UK, the US, Canada and Australia and several other European countries.
Making a difference every day
CMS service supports the European Union (EU) on marine environmental monitoring and in its efforts to protect the marine environment, natural resources, and fight climate change. The EU also utilises the data when developing frameworks for sustainable use of marine waters.
As a key player in the service desk support during data dissemination and front-end data management, Marco operates, monitors, and controls timeliness to provide data to the scientific community.
A wide range of regular and systematic marine reference information can be supported by the service's observations and forecasts, including:
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Marine safety
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Marine resources
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Coastal and marine environment
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Weather, seasonal forecasting, and climate
For example, providing data on currents, winds, and sea ice can benefit ship routing, offshore operations, and search and rescue efforts, thus improving marine safety.
Also, the CMS DU contributes to marine protection and sustainable management, especially for aquaculture, sustainable fisheries management, or regional fishery organisations. The data delivered by the service (e.g., temperature, salinity, sea level, currents, wind, and sea ice) also play a key role in weather and climate forecasts.
And who contributes to delivering this data? Our very own Marco.
Marco’s work is about constantly ensuring the provision of data to be used by the scientific community for monitoring the marine environment and preventing natural disasters. His daily duties vary from front-end data management, such as disseminating data to external users, to offering technical support when and where it arises.
However, his support for the EU extends beyond marine environmental monitoring.
The data that he disseminates with helps tackle climate change, protects biodiversity, and offers maritime safety through key parameters that contribute toward more ecological and safer navigation. This data is vital to preventing ecological disasters and protecting the environment.
Besides the work itself he carries out, Marco is happy to work for a company that is open to innovation and offers its employees a chance to improve themselves. Upon joining the CMS DU team, he felt welcomed by his managers and had a sense of belonging which has made the success of his work that much easier. His professional and personal values continue to be respected here at Serco, and we are looking forward to following his journey in making a difference in our everyday lives as citizens of the EU.