Space Traffic Competitiveness Coordinator
Job Requisition ID: 19586
Date Posted: 26 May 2025
Closing Date: 16 June 2025 23:59 CET/CEST
Publication: Internal & External
Type of Contract: Permanent
Directorate: Operations
Workplace:Darmstadt, DE
Grade Band: A2 - A4

DESCRIPTION

The Space Debris Office acts as ESA’s focal point for space debris matters and for services related to space traffic, with a key goal being to support ESA missions in all phases - from design to operation and disposal. Within ESA’s Space Safety Programme (S2P), the Office manages the Competitiveness Segment, which aims to develop the space safety market and exploit commercialisation opportunities. This objective is to be achieved by shortening the innovation path from technology to product and service, and by acting as an evaluating user and early adopter of industry’s products and services, thereby actively reducing business risks. It is proposed to extend the segment to include an enabling dimension, i.e. the development of new industrial products and services, and well as to facilitate marketplace development in collaboration with ESA’s Directorate of Commercialisation, Industry & Competitiveness.

EDUCATION

A master’s degree in aerospace engineering, systems engineering, physics or science is required for this post.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

The following would be an asset:

• more than 10 years of relevant experience;
• demonstrated experience in operational environments;
• demonstrated knowledge of fundamentals and trends in mission analysis, spacecraft design, ground segments, and mission operations;
• demonstrated knowledge of modern project and risk management methods;
• thorough knowledge of the European industrial landscape and ability to define technology development roadmaps by identifying future trends in technology needs;
• knowledge of ESA’s programmatic environment, the technology programmes, TRL management, and the organisation of R&D activities;
• knowledge of cost and schedule aspects related to your area of responsibility;
• knowledge of the ESA procurement processes, including calls for proposals;
• experience in entrepreneurship, business development, and public-private partnerships;
• active monitoring of market dynamics, with demonstrated experience in stakeholder management.

You should also:

• have an interest in working with companies that are relatively new in the space field;
• be capable of working autonomously and taking initiatives;
• demonstrate very good interpersonal and strong communication skills, such that you can lead a support team of technical experts and provide constructive feedback;
• demonstrate flexibility in dealing with day-to-day operational challenges, as well as strong planning and organisational skills;
• be able to anticipate problems, solve complex issues and relate situations to their context;
• have the required flexibility to look for solutions and reach pragmatic and timely decisions of a high standard and with integrity.

Reporting to the Head of Office, you will oversee and coordinate the Office’s service portfolio offered to projects and missions. You will also develop and procure services from industrial partners. Accordingly, you will lead the transition towards an increased use of external infrastructure in the Office. You will coordinate the evaluation, procurement and implementation of activities under the Competitiveness Segment of S2P. You will work closely with the S2P Core Team and other technical experts from the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality, the Directorate of Operations, and the Directorate of Commercialisation, Industry & Competitiveness.

You will have the following main responsibilities:

• Handle the overall coordination of the evaluation and implementation of proposals received for the Competitiveness Segment of S2P;
• Lead, as Technical Officerl, the procurement and implementation of the selected activities via the S2P workplans, and liaise with the procurement, legal, financial, risk, schedule, controlling and outreach services supporting S2P;
• Define, implement and report on the appropriate means to assess the market success of supported entities, in close coordination with Commercialisation services;
• Liaise with the stakeholder community to support the Competitiveness Segment in evolving further towards enabling industry through ESA’s technical expertise;
• Identify, prioritise and track risks in the S2P Competitiveness Segment, report on them to programme management, implement risk mitigation measures and provide recommendations on the acceptable level of risk when an issue arises;
• Coordinate the support of engineering experts in the evaluation and follow-up of activities under the S2P Competitiveness Segment;
• Support the S2P Project Managers and Core Team on commercialisation matters;
• Support S2P interactions with delegations, industrial partners and national stakeholders as required;
• Develop further the Office’s service portfolio to internal and external projects, services and missions in all phases;
• Develop further industrial capabilities for providing space debris services, and manage the procurement and integration of such services from industrial partners into the Office portfolio;
• Lead the transition of the Office infrastructure, especially towards an extended use of industrial capabilities;
• Assess and monitor related cost and schedule risks in the service portfolio in close coordination with the Office’s stakeholders on evolving user needs;
• Contribute to the procurement and management of framework contracts;
• Contribute to the management of the various related budgets by introducing modern business analytics tools in close coordination with the Business Unit Controller;
• Contribute to the evolution of the relevant quality management systems;
• Share experience and knowledge with industry in a constructive and result-oriented manner;
• Support standardisation activities in your area of expertise.