Junior Professional in Microprocessor Microelectronics Engineering

Join ESA as a Junior Professional in Microprocessor Microelectronics Engineering

This post is part of ESA’s Junior Professional Programme. We are looking for enthusiastic candidates with up to 2–3 years of relevant professional experience after their Master's degree to join ESA for a four-year assignment. During this time, you will be actively working and learning on the job and will benefit from valuable mobility and developmental opportunities that will prepare you for a successful career at ESA. Subject to performance, it is therefore the intention to offer you an indefinite contract which will start at the end of the four years.

The selection process for the 2025 cohort of Junior Professionals will take place during Spring 2025, with a projected start date in October or November 2025.

Recruitment will take place at the A1 grade. At the end of the fourth year and if you are offered an indefinite contract at the end of your Junior Professional assignment, you will be upgraded to the A2 grade.

Developmental assignments form an integral part of the JP Programme and may entail a temporary relocation to another ESA establishment or other location.

Description

Microprocessor Microelectronics Engineer in the Microelectronics Section, Data Systems, Microelectronics and Components Technology Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

The Microelectronics Section provides functional support to ESA projects and carries out technological research and development (R&D) in the field of integrated circuits, relating, for example, to ASICs, ASSPs, FPGAs, microprocessors and microcontrollers.

Duties

As a Junior Professional, your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• identifying the 3GPP communication payload signal processing, control and security algorithms to be implemented in the next generation of constellation satellites;
• analysing and profiling the implementation of these algorithms on existing and future space processors, such as microprocessors, digital signal processors and accelerators;
• developing processor enhancements to increase throughput, reliability and/or power efficiency for selected and implemented algorithms;
• proposing and supporting processor enhancements for implementation in the satellite communication payload processor.

As you progress as a Junior Professional, your duties will increase in scope to include:

• providing expert technical support and consultancy to ESA projects, programmes and general studies in the field of microelectronics, microprocessors, microcontrollers and soft IP processor cores throughout all project phases;
• participating in feasibility studies, project reviews and the evaluation of procurement proposals;
• identifying critical development problems and assisting in their resolution;
• contributing to the definition of technology development requirements and work plans for the Agency’s technology programmes;
• defining, initiating and managing R&D activities covering both long- and short-term needs;
• fostering new application areas for multidisciplinary activities, placing emphasis on innovative concepts, cutting-edge technologies and system architectures;
• laboratory activities as required;
• monitoring applicable scientific and technological trends and maintaining state-of-the-art expertise;
• contributing to the dissemination of the results of the activities performed and the transfer of knowledge across the Agency.

Your duties may also include supporting other activities within your field of competence.

Development programme

In addition to your daily work, you will take part in an extensive learning and development programme. From day one, you will learn on the job and benefit from tailored development opportunities, including participation in technical and key skills training courses.

Furthermore, there is a mobility component to the Junior Professional Programme that can be either an internal rotation to another team within ESA, an external secondment outside of ESA or a combination of both. Internal rotations aim to boost your professional experience and knowledge of the European Space Agency, whereas external secondments aim to boost your professional experience and knowledge of the European space sector.

In the framework of the mobility component of the Junior Professional Programme, you will have the opportunity to develop your knowledge in another ESA directorate by working, for example, on telecommunication software implementation, Earth Observation instrumentation signal processing applications, or a robotic exploration autonomous operation algorithm on a selected processor or accelerator. In addition, you may have the opportunity to complete an external secondment to participate in the development of the Ultra Deep Submicron Processor and/or accelerator development at validation, verification, simulation and design level.

This programme represents a significant investment by ESA in your personal and professional development and is designed to provide you with the required knowledge and skills for a career at ESA. You can expect to be given many opportunities to develop your professional experience and competencies, to learn from ESA experts and to contribute to ESA activities.

Technical competencies

• General background and specific experience in the technical domains covered by the position
• Experience in the architecture definition, performance analysis and development of processors and accelerators
• Experience in the definition, development and implementation of digital signal processing algorithms
• Experience in the definition, development and verification of space microelectronics for satellite platforms and payloads, including instruments, telecommunication and/or navigation units, on-board computers, remote terminals, power units and/or control units
• Experience with the design, development and application of relevant tools and methods
• Hands-on laboratory test and measurement experience

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

A master’s degree or higher qualification in electronic engineering or physics is required for this post.

Additional requirements

You should have between two and three years of professional experience, preferably in a relevant domain, after completion of your master's degree.

You should have experience in end-to-end design, system integration and testing of ICs and FPGAs, as well as reusable IP cores. In particular, competence in the following domains is required:

• Microprocessors, digital signal processors and accelerators
• Digital FPGA and/or ASIC design, simulation, synthesis, layout and tools
• Design methodology and tools for reusable IP cores
• Integrated circuit functional, electrical, and environmental testing

Preference will be given to candidates with expertise in two or more of the following domains of microelectronics relating to the position:

• RISC-V, SPARC, ARM and DSP processor instruction set architectures (ISA) and their extensions
• Communication, artificial intelligence, GNSS and/or image or video processor architectures
• Ethernet, PCIe, JESD204, SpaceFibre, SpaceWire, CAN and MIL-STD-1553 interfaces
• System level modelling with Matlab, SystemC and/or SystemVerilog
• High-level synthesis and auto-coding
• Hardware software co-design
• Hardware Description Language coding rules and linting tools
• Programming in C, C++ and Python

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
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.

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 via email at contact.human.resources@esa.int.

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 & security clearance by their national security administrations.

During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.

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

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

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, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.

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*.

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.

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.