Power Management Engineer

This role is for a Power Management Engineer in the Power Management and Distribution Section, Power Systems, EMC & Space Environment Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

The Power Management and Distribution Section provides functional support to ESA projects and carries out technological research (R&D) in the fields of power management and distribution for space applications, both primary and secondary, platform or payload. In particular, the Section covers power system design, power and energy budget assessment, power conditioning and distribution design and technology, analogue electronics for power systems, control of power systems, digital control of power systems, sensing techniques and high-voltage technology and design.

Within this domain of competence, the Section is responsible for:

• Defining, promoting and implementing, in line with anticipated technology trends and project needs, the Section’s contributions to ESA technology programmes and R&D activities; coordinating, where applicable, the requirements of technology elements in the Section’s domain of competence with the overall requirements of systems being developed under the responsibility of other D/TEC areas.
• Maintaining state-of-the-art expertise, through the execution of the yearly plan for Technical Assessment and related hands-on activities, by keeping roadmaps up to date and driving the periodic harmonisation exercise in the Section’s domain of expertise as well as by driving selected technology activities of specific importance for the Section or the Division and supporting the definition of European standards related to the Section’s domain of competence.
• Ensuring the development, maintenance and evolution of the engineering tools used by the Division in support of its duties.
• Coordinating the Section’s laboratory activities with the Energy Storage and Power Laboratory Section in order to optimise the support provided by the laboratory team and to ensure proper prioritisation of tasks.
• Participating in the early phase design of power systems for future space missions.

Duties

Reporting to the Head of Section and within the technical fields described above, your main tasks and responsibilities will include:

• Providing expert technical support and consultancy to ESA projects, programmes and general studies in the field of power management and power distribution throughout all project phases.
• Participating in feasibility studies, project reviews and 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.

Technical competencies

• General background and specific experience in the technical domains covered by the position.
• Hands-on hardware experience.
• Project support experience in a relevant domain.
• Spacecraft systems knowledge.
• Hands-on laboratory experience.
• Experience in the preparation of procurement activities for technology development and innovation (statements of work, proposal evaluation, etc).
• Experience in the management and monitoring of industrial activities, including participation in reviews.

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

A Master's in electrical engineering (or similar degree) is required for this post.

Additional requirements

• Experience on the design of power systems at early phase stages of space missions, and the use of relevant tools.
• Experience of power system analysis, including power and energy budget assessment.
• Experience of DC/DC converter design and verification.
• Experience of power converter control.
• Experience of digital control and FPGA programming.
• Experience in the use of GaN and SiC switches for power conversion.
• Experience in the use of electrical simulation tools and the modelling of power conversion circuits and systems.
• Knowledge of secondary power system analysis and verification.
• Knowledge of distribution system analysis and verification.
• Knowledge of power processing units (PPUs) for propulsion systems.
• Knowledge of power systems for smallsats.

A PhD in a relevant domain will be an asset for this post.

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

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.