System Engineer
JOB DETAIL
Vacancy in the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. Applications from women are encouraged.
This post is classified A2-A4 on the Coordinated Organisations’ salary scale.
Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands
Description
System Engineer in the Gateway ERM Engineering Team, Lunar Exploration Group, Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration Programmes, assigned as integrated support from the Systems Engineering Division, Systems Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.
The Gateway is a small space station orbiting the Moon in a near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) that will be developed by the ISS partners. Among other contributions, ESA will deliver to the Gateway programme the ERM (Esprit Refueling Module), a module constituted of a pressurised part, providing windows for crew observation and stowage volume, and a non-pressurised part, providing refueling capacity (xenon and storable bi-propellant) to the Gateway, as well as docking ports and operation points for the external robotic arm.
Reporting to the ERM Engineering Team Leader, you will support all aspects relating to system engineering. You will also liaise with the other members of the ERM Engineering Team, the ESA Gateway Baseline and AIVT Team, the ESA Gateway Product Assurance and Safety Team, the ESA Gateway Operations Team and the ESA Gateway Chief Engineer to ensure coordination with other components of and stakeholders in ESA’s participation in the Gateway, as well as expert functional support provided by the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.
Moreover, you will interact with members of industrial teams and international partners of the Gateway – notably NASA – for the completion of your duties.
Duties
Your tasks and responsibilities will include:
- establishing and consolidating the end-to-end system architecture and operations concept in line with mission requirements and needs for the ERM and its subsystem(s), as well as related external contributions, notably CFI/GFE (customer furnished items/government furnished equipment), from international partners such as NASA, JAXA and CSA;
- ensuring the correct definition and implementation of the ERM interfaces with the Gateway, the CFI/GFE, the launcher and transfer/TUG and the visiting vehicles;
- performing and evaluating system design trade-off studies where required to ensure consistency of the requirements, design and performances with system-level needs;
- coordinating, managing and monitoring industrial activities for the ERM subsystem, as required by the hierarchical supervisor, in your area of responsibility;
- supporting the overall system design necessary for the development of fault-tolerant architectures, including identification and use of tools and methods for ensuring dependable design and verification; establishing the autonomy and operability concept when requested and supporting the FDIR definition;
- ensuring the completeness and timely review of ERM engineering project documentation produced in your area of responsibility;
- supporting the Gateway Engineering and Change Control Board activities in your area of responsibility, including reviews of technical contractual changes;
- coordinating and ensuring appropriate support to the Gateway (IP) engineering working groups and boards in your area of responsibility;
- supporting the definition and preparation of proper verification at mission and ground level, including resolving non-conformances;
- supporting the assessment of deviations and waiver and participating in Non-Conformance Review Boards in support to and as coordinated with the Gateway Baseline, Verification & AIT Team;
- providing early warning of potential problem areas and ensuring appropriate mitigation actions are identified and implemented;
- coordinating specialist support as necessary.
You will also participate in periodic meetings with the parent Division, contributing to the transfer of technical knowledge and lessons learned across the Agency.
Technical competencies
Behavioural competencies
Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking
Education
A master’s degree in a relevant physical sciences or engineering discipline is required.
Additional requirements
Experience or knowledge in the following domains is an asset:
- A minimum of ten years’ experience in system engineering for spacecraft or module design, development and verification
- Knowledge of human spaceflight activities and experience in human spaceflight design and development projects
- Knowledge of electrical and chemical spacecraft propulsion
- Experience in international space programmes
- Experience in system support for launch preparation and the launch and early phase operations of space missions
Other information
For behavioural competencies expected from ESA staff in general, please refer to the ESA Competency Framework.
For further information please visit: Professionals, What we offer and FAQ
The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.
Applicants must be eligible to access technology and hardware which is subject to European and US export control regulations.
The Agency may require applicants to undergo selection tests.
At the Agency we value diversity and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further please contact us email [email protected].
Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
According to the ESA Convention, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will first be given to internal candidates and secondly to external candidates from under-represented Member States*.
In accordance with the European Space Agency’s security procedures and as part of the selection process, successful candidates will be required to undergo basic screening before appointment conducted by an external background screening service.
In principle, recruitment will be within the advertised grade band (A2-A4). However, if the selected candidate has less than four years of relevant professional experience following the completion of the master’s degree, the position may be filled at A1 level.
*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.
