Quality Assurance 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

The Quality Management and Assurance Section (TEC-QPQ), located at ESTEC, is responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of quality and supply chain management expertise. It contributes to corporate quality management, operating under the authority of the Directorate of Technology, Engineering & Quality (D/TEC) and the ESA Quality Manager (The Quality Department - TEC-Q).

The Section reports to the Head of the Quality and Product Assurance Management Division (TEC-QP) and supports the entire Agency, serving customers across all the directorates at any location. Furthermore, the Section manages accreditation and certification schemes, as well as ESA alerts, and contributes to the evaluation and monitoring of the quality of the ESA supply chain.

In this role, you will provide expertise to the Department’s activities in the area of quality, helping ESA projects specifically with the quality assurance aspects of the ESA supply chain. Your main tasks will be coordinated by an assigned Focal Point and will consist of the following:

• Contributing to ESA internal and external alert processes and systems by helping the ESA Alerts Focal Point, interfacing with the ESA and industry users.
• Assessing and processing, in cooperation with the team of experts, potential ESA alerts to be submitted to the ESA Alert Committee concerning the decision for publication.
• Organising and preparing the ESA Alert Committee activities.
• Preparing and participating in regular status reviews of all active internal and external alerts.
• Contributing to the maintenance, improvement, optimisation and promotion of the ESA Alerts Process.
• Working on the Test Centre Certification activities, including contributing to the maintenance and further evolution of the Test Centre Certification scheme and related processes.
• Contributing to annual planning and progress follow-up of the certification audits.
• Performing audits, and reporting and following up findings.
• Monitoring the status of certificates.
• Liaising with European Test Centres.
• Contributing to the suppliers’ evaluation process, which may also include helping with the planning, organisation and performance of audits.
• Liaising with designated European and international organisations on the quality activities listed above.
• Maintaining, improving, optimising and administering the IT systems implementing the above activities and other quality assurance tasks in ESA, including building statistical dashboards for analysis.
• Preparing and running the related training sessions, workshops and meetings.
• Contributing to the reporting on the statistics, progress, KPI status and achievement of objectives for all quality activities listed above.

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.
• Experience in quality assurance or PA&S-related activities.
• Knowledge of the ESA alert process.
• Knowledge of the ESA standard for Test Centre Certification: ECSS-Q-ST-20-07.
• Lead Auditor training and experience.
• Experience in the definition, implementation and maintenance of quality management systems compliant with ISO9001, EN9100 and ISO17025 standards would be an asset.

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 3 years of relevant professional experience.

Additional requirements

Knowledge of ECSS standards would be considered an asset.

Knowledge of the ISO14001, ISO45001, OHSAS 18001 or ISO 27001 standards would be considered an asset.

Important information

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.