Lead End-to-End Performance Engineer

Within the Alpstar project, an ERS-EO initiative to develop a federated, resilient Earth observation system combining space and ground assets, this role plays a central part in ensuring the technical end-to-end coherence and performance of the Alpstar system, with particular emphasis on the definition, verification and validation of interfaces between the space segment, the ground segment and operational elements within the Alpstar Cluster.

Alpstar provides secure, timely and sovereign data access for civil, security and defence applications.

In this role, you will report directly to the Alpstar Project Manager. You will collaborate with a range of engineering disciplines, including satellite engineering, security engineering, mission analysis, ground segment engineering and satellite operations. You will also interface directly with end users to capture needs, discuss performance and address any non-compliance, and to support operational validation and transition to operations.

Description

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• Defining and maintaining the end-to-end system performance requirements, including allocation to subsystems, performance budgets relating for example to latency, availability, throughput and tasking responsiveness, and the performance model, in accordance with mission requirements and the space segment design.
• Supporting the Alpstar Users Forum with respect to mission and instrument performance aspects and mission data product definition, ensuring that end-to-end performance requirements are consistent with the approved concept of operations.
• Establishing and maintaining the end-to-end system architecture and operations concept in accordance with mission requirements and the space segment design.
• Coordinating the end-to-end system performance verification programme, including data processing, flight calibration and characterisation, payload science and ancillary data, in coordination with the respective ground and space segment engineering teams, pre-flight and during in-flight commissioning.
• Reviewing the consistency and flowdown of the requirements from space segment system level to subsystem and unit level, as well as the internal and external interfaces, while ensuring traceability and coherence with mission requirements and technical and programmatic constraints; reviewing and maintaining the requirements database; and preparing, reviewing, maintaining and supporting the VCD.
• Analysing and validating the performance of interfaces between space segment and ground segment components (national nodes, national operations centres, the federation layer and processing, archiving and dissemination services) and supporting interface harmonisation with external systems and contributing national or partner infrastructures.
• Supporting the implementation of the end-to-end mission simulator as applicable, the ground prototype processor, and the verification of the mission products.
• Supervising the industrial supplier's progress in developing and implementing the Alpstar Federated Layer and Generic Node of the Alpstar Participating States, including their interfaces with space resilience nodes and EOGS, and providing technical support for all industrial activities relating to system and ground segment development.
• Monitoring the end-to-end data flow, through the instruments/payload and spacecraft subsystems, up to the final data products, ensuring availability of all required models and tools.
• Coordinating the various project engineering domains in support of the systems engineering function.
• Providing regular reporting to project management on all aspects of competence, identifying risks and problem areas and proposing mitigation actions, where appropriate.
• Contributing to the management of the schedule and proposing schedule risk mitigation actions.
• Potentially assuming responsibility, delegated from the Alpstar Project Manager, for programmatic aspects, and directly interacting with delegations and partners as required.

Technical competencies

• Solid knowledge of space systems engineering principles and lifecycle.
• Experience in software systems engineering, from requirements engineering to design and development and verification and validation.
• Experience with ground segment architectures, mission operations and data processing chains.
• Proven ability in interface engineering and management (ICDs, data flows and operational interfaces).
• Familiarity with end-to-end system verification and validation involving space and ground elements.
• Knowledge of ESA system engineering standards, reviews and processes.
• Knowledge of dual systems.

Behavioural competencies

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

Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in engineering or a related discipline 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.

Additional requirements

• Knowledge of handling restricted or classified information.
• Ability to work in multi-disciplinary and international environments.
• Strong communication skills, enabling effective interaction with engineering, ground segment and operations teams.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, project-driven environment, set priorities and present solutions clearly.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, technical, analytical, organisational and reporting skills.
• A proactive attitude, with a problem-solving mindset and an interest in innovative technologies.

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 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.