Head of the AI and Data Science Section

In the Future Engineering Division, Systems Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality, you will serve as Head of the AI & Data Science Section.

Reporting to the Head of the Future Engineering Division, you will lead ESA’s AI & Data Science Section, ensuring coherent, responsible and mission-grade adoption of artificial intelligence across ESA.

We are seeking an experienced AI leader to build and lead ESA’s AI & Data Science Section within the Future Engineering Division. You should combine hands-on technical excellence with strategic leadership, developing Proofs of Concept (PoCs) and Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), and scaling them into secure, operational, mission-grade solutions for ground, flight and corporate applications.

The Section embodies ESA’s AI Centre of Competence and acts as the Agency-wide focal point for artificial intelligence. It defines and maintains AI governance and harmonisation, ensures responsible and high-reliability AI deployment, and coordinates AI activities across all directorates in line with the ESA AI Strategy.

Technology and laboratory activities are carried out in coordination with the Future Engineering Technology Coordinator and the Future Engineering Laboratory Coordinator.

Duties

Within the technical domain defined above, your tasks and responsibilities will include the following:

Manage the AI & Data Science Section

Section Leadership and Resource Management

• Define and execute multi-year and annual activity plans.
• Allocate and prioritise resources in alignment with programme needs.
• Maintain and develop state-of-the-art competencies within the Section.
• Ensure performance management, staff development and mobility.
• Foster a collaborative and high-performance working environment.
• Represent the Section in technical boards and senior management reviews.

Expertise, Methods and Technical Contribution

• Ensure effective collaboration within the Section, promoting exchange of experience and lessons learned.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of working methods, tools, and delivery approaches.
• Support independent technical assessment capability and project reviews.
• Represent the Agency in your area(s) of expertise within ESA and with external stakeholders.
• Coordinate dissemination of the Section’s results within and beyond ESA.

AI Acceleration from Prototype to Operations

• Oversee the development of demonstrators, Proofs of Concept and Minimum Viable Products addressing concrete mission and programme needs.
• Ensure robust transition of validated prototypes into secure, scalable, and maintainable operational solutions for mission design, MBSE, system engineering.
• Ensure robust transition of validated prototypes into secure, scalable, and maintainable operational solutions for mission operations, automation and autonomy in coordination with OPS.
• Ensure robust transition of validated prototypes into secure, scalable, and maintainable operational solutions for on-board AI applications.
• Ensure robust transition of validated prototypes into secure, scalable, and maintainable operational solutions for analytics, science data exploitation, climate data modelling.
• Ensure robust transition of validated prototypes into secure, scalable, and maintainable operational solutions for MAIT, launcher and spacecraft manufacturing.
• Ensure robust transition of validated prototypes into secure, scalable, and maintainable operational solutions for internal efficiency and corporate processes.

Manage Technology Research and Development, AI Laboratory and ESA AI Competence Centre

Technology Research and Development

• Identify emerging AI technologies relevant to space systems.
• Define and implement the Section’s contribution to ESA technology programmes and R&D.
• Contribute to technology harmonisation dossiers and coordinate with relevant expert groups.
• Ensure compliance with ethics, security, and data policies.

AI Laboratory and Digital Infrastructure

• Oversee the AI Laboratory facilities in coordination with the Future Engineering Laboratory Coordinator.
• Define reference AI architectures, MLOps frameworks, validation processes, and data governance.
• Ensure interoperability with ESA digital infrastructure, such as ESA Data Factory, HPC, and cloud environments.
• Liaise with the Avionics and EEE for on-board AI applications.

Operate the ESA AI Competence Centre

• Operate the AI Competence Centre as a delivery-oriented capability enabling ESA-wide AI adoption.
• Maintain and evolve the AI Expert Network, ensuring strong coordination with AI teams and points of contact in all directorates.
• Support programmes and projects with senior expert guidance, ensuring AI applications are trustworthy, resilient, and certifiable.
• Maintain and update ESA-wide AI governance by creating guidelines, engineering rules, technical notes, and by supporting ECSS evolution of documents such as standards and handbooks.
• Support the preparation, consolidation and update of ESA’s AI roadmaps for mission design, operations, data exploitation, and agency efficiency.
• Consolidate requirements for AI processing architectures and toolchains for ground and flight.
• Develop AI skills and external partnerships, strengthening European AI capabilities.

Measurable Impact Expected

• Reduction of costs and labour-hours through AI-enabled automation.
• Acceleration of engineering and operational workflows.
• Improved mission performance and decision quality.
• Deployment of AI solutions in operational environments.
• Reduction of time from idea to demonstrator.

Technical competencies

• Extensive experience in AI, Machine Learning, Data Engineering, Software Engineering, or related domains.
• Proven ability to transition AI solutions from prototype to operational deployment in high-reliability environments.
• Experience supporting ESA programmes and understanding technical and programmatic constraints.
• Mastery of modern AI technologies, including deep learning, computer vision, NLP/LLMs, reinforcement learning, multimodal architectures, and MLOps.
• Experience defining and operating AI platforms, model lifecycles, and robust data pipelines.
• Knowledge of spacecraft systems, mission operations, engineering processes, and/or space data exploitation.

Behavioural competencies

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

Education and professional experience

A master's degree in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering Mathematics or a related field is required for this post together with 10 years of relevant professional experience. A PhD in a relevant domain is an asset.

Additional requirements

• Strong hands-on coding capability in Python, ML frameworks, cloud-native stacks, and MLOps.
• Experience in driving R&D activities, as well as knowledge of ESA technology programmes.
• Experience with Space Engineering Standards and their preparation and implementation.
• Strong track record building and leading high-performing AI teams.
• Ability to influence at Agency-wide and senior management level, including coordination across multiple Directorates.
• Experience collaborating with industry, academia, innovation ecosystems, and research centres.
• Ability to articulate a coherent AI strategy and translate it into concrete, operational outcomes.
• Knowledge of the industrial landscape and ability to define technology development roadmaps identifying future trends in technology requirements.
• Experience in ESA procurement processes and contract management as well as applied negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate emerging technologies and guide their adaptation for space use, such as onboard AI, edge accelerators, and neuromorphic computing.
• Understanding of responsible AI, ethical and legal considerations, explainability, and AI assurance.
• The ability to organise activities and ensure a motivating work environment.
• Strong leadership capabilities to manage individuals or a team of experts, with proven relationship management and communication skills.

Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations.

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

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.