OpSTAR Lead Ground Segment System Engineer

This is a fixed-term appointment with an initial duration of 4 years. Depending upon performance and organisational needs, the appointment may be extended up to a possible maximum duration of 8 years.

Description

Reporting to the OpSTAR Project Manager, you will be responsible for leading and coordinating all ground segment engineering and operations activities for the implementation of the OpSTAR In-Orbit Demonstrator, including team coordination, technical leadership and programmatic oversight of the ground segment work.

The OpSTAR In-Orbit Demonstrator is one of the in-orbit demonstrators of the FutureNAV programme and includes the implementation of the end-to-end infrastructure to validate a system concept based on the use of optical links for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT).

You will lead the definition, development, verification and operations preparation of the OpSTAR IOD ground segments, comprising the IOD satellite control segment and the IOD mission experimentation segment. The role includes coordination of a multidisciplinary team, ensuring consistency with the overall system architecture and mission objectives, and contributing to programmatic aspects such as schedule and risk management for the ground segment domain.

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• leading and coordinating the development, verification and operations preparation of the OpSTAR IOD ground segment, composed of the IOD satellite control segment and the IOD mission experimentation segment, ensuring full consistency with the overall system architecture and mission objectives;
• coordinating a multidisciplinary team of ESA and external personnel in the execution of ground segment engineering and operations duties;
• defining, maintaining and ensuring traceability of the OpSTAR IOD ground segment requirements derived from mission and system requirements and overseeing the flow-down to lower-level ground segment elements;
• identifying relevant design drivers and coordinating the elaboration of technical trade-offs to support the consolidation of the ground segment design and architecture;
• documenting and maintaining technical budgets, such as those relating to performance, data handling and availability, for the IOD ground segments and contributing to system-level trade-offs, ensuring consistency with system constraints and mission needs;
• defining and maintaining the OpSTAR IOD ground segment architecture and the internal and external interfaces, for example with the space segment and external systems, ensuring architectural coherence;
• interfacing with system, segment, operations and experimentation teams to ensure the definition, maintenance and verification of the ground segment and its interfaces, guaranteeing compliance and interface consistency with the IOD system;
• interfacing with the operations and experimentation teams to ensure correct implementation of the ground segment in line with the operations concept and experimentation objectives and constraints;
• leading the integration, verification and validation of the ground segment within the IOD system, including definition, execution and analysis of tests, and ensuring readiness for integration and operations;
• contributing to the IOD operations concept and requirements and overseeing the development of operational procedures, tools and campaigns for the satellite control and mission experimentation segments;
• leading the preparation and coordination of IOD experimentation campaigns from a ground segment perspective, ensuring consistency between ground segment capabilities, system constraints and experimentation needs;
• coordinating the analysis of experimentation results from a ground segment and operations perspective, contributing to PNT system evolution and future developments;
• contributing to programmatic oversight of the ground segment domain by supporting schedule and risk management, and monitoring industrial development and service contracts to ensure alignment with project needs and priorities;
• potentially supporting interactions with delegations, partners and external contributors as required.

Technical competencies

• Knowledge of space system engineering, in particular the ground segment and related processes
• Knowledge of space system operations, processes and tools
• Knowledge of other technical domains interfacing with your area of responsibility
• Knowledge of satellite navigation systems
• Knowledge of ESA and industrial development, verification and procurement processes
• Knowledge of space system development and PA standards
• Experience of working in a project environment in industry or at ESA

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 domain is required for this post, together with four years of relevant professional experience. Alternatively, candidates with a bachelor’s degree, complemented by an additional four years of relevant professional experience, may be considered.

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 and 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.