Description

Lead Space Segment Engineer for the CRISTAL (Copernicus polaR Ice and Snow Topographic ALtimeter), Sentinel-3 (Sentinel-3C/D) and Sentinel-3 Next Generation Optical missions. The post covers the activities relating to:

• phases C/D/E1 for the first CRISTAL satellite and the recurrent satellites of CRISTAL, including storage where applicable;
• phases D/E1 for Sentinel-3 C/D satellites, including storage;
• phases A/B/C/D/E1 for Sentinel-3 Next Generation Optical (S3NGO) satellites.

You will report to the relevant Satellite Engineering and AIV managers regarding all technical and programmatic matters and will work within the relevant project teams. You will be technically responsible, in particular, for the development of the space segment engineering and relevant sub-systems, and the AIV/AIT definition and implementation. Your responsibilities will include proactively monitoring the platform industrial procurement within the project(s).

You will interface with and receive support from other engineers working on the projects, as well as from specialised technical support from the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality (D/TEC).

Duties

Your main tasks and responsibilities will include:

• contributing to the management of the industrial activities by leading the specification, design, procurement, development, and verification/acceptance of spacecraft, platform and equipment hardware, including ground support equipment, throughout the project lifetime, from ITT to flight commissioning; 
• monitoring the industrial progress and design evolution at spacecraft, platform and equipment levels, ensuring it remains consistent with the technical and programmatic requirements, in full coherence with the system requirements and operational interfaces;
• consolidating and maintaining the satellite internal/external interfaces and engineering technical budgets, including the definition of the interfaces to the launcher;
• monitoring industrial verification activities, including definition and implementation of the development AIV and AIT processes, to ensure proper verification, including resolving non-conformances, and supporting the assessment of deviations and waivers;
• coordinating with PA and AIT during integration and testing activities for the resolution of activity deviations;
• contributing to the autonomy and operability concept and supporting the FDIR definition when requested;
• supporting the Ground Segment and Operations teams in the execution of their activities, including SVTs;
• supporting storage and de-storage activities, including preparation, maintenance and verification of system and equipment performance during de-storage;
• providing support to launch campaign preparation and execution and to the platform in-orbit operations up to the end of commissioning;
• providing regular reporting to project management and identifying technical risk areas, proposing and monitoring mitigation measures; 
• contributing to the management of the schedule and proposing schedule risk mitigation actions; 
• monitoring the industrial preparation for launch and coordinating in-flight spacecraft commissioning and verification activities in collaboration with project and ground teams;
• coordinating various project engineering domains to cover the procurement of the hardware under your responsibility; 
• coordinating specialised engineering support from the ESA Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality in the relevant areas under your responsibility.

Your duties may also include supporting other activities within your field of competence in the Projects Department of the Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes. 

Technical competencies

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education

A master’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline is required.