Lead Payload Engineer (2 posts)

Description

As part of the LISA team in the Projects Department of the Directorate of Science, you, as Lead Payload Engineer, will report to the Payload Procurement Lead.

The LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission is a groundbreaking project comprising a constellation of three spacecraft tasked with detecting and measuring gravitational waves with precision. As the first ever space gravitational wave observatory, LISA will deliver world-class science and have significant public and strategic impact.

Key Payload Subsystems

• Gravitational Reference Subsystem (GRS): One of the core subsystems within the LISA payload, the GRS is a Customer Furnished Item to ESA and involves collaboration with European institutes, industries, and PRODEX (PROgramme de Développement d'Expériences scientifiques). The GRS houses the free-falling test masses inside each spacecraft and, via a combination of optical and electrostatic methods, measures the tiny movements of the test masses and controls their position, which is essential for detecting gravitational waves with extreme precision. The GRS comprises the GRS-Head (GRSH) hosting the test masses, the Mechanism Control Unit (MCU), the Front-End Electronics (FEE), and the Charge Management Device (CMD). There are two CMD developments: a European CMD in early procurement and a NASA-developed CMD with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 model.
• Science Diagnostic Subsystem (SDS): Also a core subsystem and Customer Furnished Item to ESA, the SDS monitors the environmental conditions within each of the three spacecraft, such as temperature, magnetic fields, radiation, and electrical charge, allowing identification and correction for non-gravitational noise in the scientific data.

As Lead Payload Engineer, you will have the responsibility to follow the entire development of one or more payload subsystem(s) or units, ensuring its compliance to the scientific and technical requirements of the LISA mission. You will supervise the design, development, and testing activities, assisting all the relevant stakeholders (internal and external to the LISA Project Team), and coordinating the involved institutes. In performing your tasks, you will be supported by experts within the LISA Project Team and from the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

Duties

Within the payload team, the postholder will be responsible for the timely development, verification, and delivery of the subsystem and/or unit up to the end of commissioning. Within the programme guidelines and constraints, the detailed duties will include:

• Coordinating and controlling the institutes and industry in charge of the procurement of the elements, ensuring that their design and development comply with the LISA scientific, technical, and programmatic requirements.
• Ensuring the correct flow down of requirements from LISA System Requirements Document (SRD), Payload Requirements Documents (PRD), Interface Requirement Document (IRD), etc., to the subsystem(s).
• Following all the development activities, providing the CFI institutes and industry with the needed technical support.
• Organising, conducting, and completing all the relevant and necessary reviews.
• Supporting the Payload Procurement Lead in defining, maintaining, and executing their schedules and risk registers.
• Coordinating interfaces to the LISA spacecraft team as required.
• Providing engineering support to other LISA payload elements as required by the team.
• Providing support to the LISA Project Team in its entire development up to its completion.
• Providing support to the Projects Department when needed and requested.
• You may be assigned to follow additional payload elements depending on the needs of the LISA Project.
• You will also be responsible for identifying, assessing, and reporting the health and safety risks in your area of responsibility.

Technical Competencies

• Relevant experience with space instruments in all project phases.
• Broad background in the various technical disciplines involved in space payload engineering.
• Strong system engineering capabilities.
• Experience in procurement of flight hardware for space instruments.
• Experience in management of Customer Furnished Items (CFIs).
• Risk management.

Behavioural Competencies

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

Education

A master’s degree, preferably in spacecraft systems engineering, AIT (Assembly, Integration and Testing), electrical engineering, or materials and processes, is required for this post.

Additional Requirements

• Experience in scientific instrument manufacturing technologies, the associated challenges, and knowledge of state-of-the-art performance.
• Knowledge of test and verification methods for electrical and electronic components and instrumentation.
• Basic knowledge of other engineering areas (such as mechanical, thermal, or materials) would be considered an asset.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the capacity to be a team player.
• The potential to coordinate individuals or a team in a project setting.
• The ability to keep third-party activities under control, ensuring a motivating collaboration environment with stakeholders.
• Strong leadership capabilities and communication skills.
• The ability to proactively operate in a project team.
• Strong problem-solving skills to deal with day-to-day operational challenges, together with demonstrated planning and organisational skills.
• Strong result 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.
• International experience, i.e. outside your home country, as well as experience in diverse functional areas relevant to ESA activities is an asset.
• You must be eligible to access technology and hardware which are subject to European and US export control regulations.

Important Information and Disclaimer

In principle, recruitment will be within the advertised grade band (A2-A4). However, if the selected candidate has less than four years of relevant professional experience following the completion of the master’s degree, the position may be filled at A1 level.

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.

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.