Spacecraft Operations Engineer
Job Requisition ID: 19418
Date Posted: 17 April 2025
Closing Date: 8 May 2025 23:59 CET/CEST
Publication: Internal & External
Type of Contract: Permanent
Directorate: Operations
Workplace:Darmstadt, DE
Grade Band: A2 - A4

DESCRIPTION

Spacecraft Operations Engineer in the Solar System and Exploration Missions Division, Mission Operations Department, Directorate of Operations.
The Solar System and Exploration Missions Division is responsible for the conception, design, implementation and operations of the mission operations ground segment and the spacecraft operations for ESA missions that travel in interplanetary space, typically from the start of phase B through in-flight commissioning to routine mission operations until the end of mission.
You will be assigned to the Operations Definition and Engineering Team and will hierarchically report to the Head of Unit.

EDUCATION

A master’s degree in engineering or science is required for this post.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Experience in project management (preparing statements of work and requirements, managing schedules and contractors, managing costs and risks, participating in scrum teams, testing and validation) and systems engineering (system architecture and interfaces, system performance, trade-off analysis, etc.), would be considered an asset.

Your tasks will include standard Spacecraft Operations Engineer duties as follows:

• Assisting the Spacecraft Operations Manager (SOM)/Head of Unit in the definition, preparation and execution of the mission operations assigned to the Unit, including nominal, special and contingency operations, spacecraft and ground segment anomaly investigation and resolution, performance evaluation and reporting;
• Taking on the role of acting SOM/Head of Unit when delegated;
• Assisting the SOM/Head of Unit in the specification, development, validation, maintenance and evolution of the ground segment systems and operational products required to conduct mission operations;
• Interfacing with other areas in the Agency, industry, the user community, external centres and/or agencies for all aspects related to your area of responsibility;
• Providing support to the SOM/Head of Unit in discharging the Unit’s mandate and preparing for new missions to be operated by the Unit(s)/Division. This may include participation in reviews, preparations and operations of other missions delegated to the Unit, the Division or the Department, and support for other Directorate or ESA activities.

Additionally, the initial assignment will include the following specific tasks:

• Actively participating in CDF studies and supporting pre-Phase A and Phase A/B1 studies, as well as developing the corresponding operations-related inputs (operations assumptions, requirements, interfaces, concepts, cost and risk management);
• Initiating and managing (as technical officer) mission operations-related technology and application development studies and projects, making use of available funding opportunities within ESA programmes;
• Creating concepts for custom operations for non-traditional missions or non-traditional customers (e.g. Moonlight) and delivering that support, leveraging on existing resources and facilities or engineering new ground segment components.