Constellation Operations Architect

Join ESA as a Constellation Operations Architect in the Secure Connectivity Ground Segment & Operations Office (CSC-IG) within the Secure Connectivity Programme Department in the Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communications.

The ESA Programme Related to EU Secure Connectivity, hereinafter referred to as “Secure Connectivity” or IRIS², is intended to support the effective development and validation of the EU Secure Connectivity governmental infrastructure and the services provided by it, as well as the validation and demonstration of services based on the commercial infrastructure developed by the contractor(s) delivering the EU Secure Connectivity governmental infrastructure.

Reporting hierarchically to the Head of the Technical and Management Support Office within the Directorate of Operations (OPS-OS), you will also report functionally to the Head of the Secure Connectivity Ground Segment & Operations Office in the framework of ESA's matrix organisation.

You will be responsible for all engineering tasks to support the effective development and validation of the operational concept relating to the ground segment, including both the control and mission segment and systems. You will also follow the design, development, verification, validation and qualification of the operations of the ground segment and the system in line with the operational concept.

Description

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• Supervising the development of the operational concept at ground segment and system levels;
• Contributing to the maintenance of alignment of the operational concept throughout the development, integration and deployment phases;
• Supervising the validation of the operational concept at ground segment and system levels, including security and business continuity;
• Supervising the development and validation of the operational procedures responding to the operational concept;
• Supervising the implementation of all tools and processes necessary for the validation and qualification of the operations;
• Supervising the specification, design, implementation, validation and qualification of tools in support of the operations;
• Identifying risk and problem areas relating to operations and support risks;
• Providing risk assessments and proposing mitigation actions by industry and on the ESA side;
• Ensuring end-to-end technical consistency with the operational concept of all procurement activities at ground segment and system levels, as well as security engineering activities.

Technical competencies

• Experience in operating a telecommunications system, ideally in the domain of satcom constellations
• Proven experience in the definition and implementation of operational concept, as well as all subsequent operational plans, for large systems
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and monitor industrial activities, including technical oversight, evaluation of proposals, participation in contract negotiations, and advisory support during major technical reviews and key decision points
• Expertise in risk management at programme and system level, including the identification of technical and programmatic risks, review of mitigation plans, and assessment of potential impacts on project cost, schedule and performance
• Experience in the cross-cutting management and coordination of functional teams of experts

Behavioural competencies

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

Education and professional experience

A master's degree in a relevant STEM subject is required for this post, together with 5 years of relevant professional experience.

Additional requirements

• The ability to adapt to frequent changes;
• Strong problem-solving skills to deal with day-to-day operational challenges, together with demonstrated planning and organisational skills;
• Strong results orientation with the ability to set priorities and present practical solutions both orally and in writing;
• The ability to manage challenging situations proactively and constructively and to be customer-focused.

The following will be considered assets:

• Direct experience of working with a commercial telecommunications company and operator;
• Experience in public-private partnership projects;
• Experience of public speaking and the ability to conceptualise complex ideas;
• Experience working on projects with a security dimension.

Important Information and Disclaimer

Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations and eligible to acquire the security clearance by their national security administrations.

Note that ESA is in the process of transitioning to a Matrix setup, which could lead to organisational changes affecting this position.

Nationality and Languages

Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.

According to the ESA Convention, staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, taking into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the Member States.

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.