Industrialisation Engineer

Industrialisation Engineer at the European Space Agency

This is a non-renewable post for a limited duration of 4 years.

Description

Industrialisation Engineer in the Future Engineering Division, Systems Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

As an Industrialisation Engineer, you will play a pivotal role at the heart of the European Space Agency’s drive toward industrial excellence. Leading the Centre of Competence for Manufacturing and Serial Production, you will not only guide the development and implementation of cutting-edge production technologies, automation and sustainability practices, but also forge strong connections between industry, policy and innovation.

This role offers a rare opportunity to influence Europe’s industrial strategy, boost supply chain resilience and support the transformation from bespoke engineering to scalable, high-quality manufacturing for space systems.

If you are passionate about applying the next generation of industrial capabilities and making a lasting impact on the global space landscape, this is your opportunity to lead with vision and purpose.

Duties

Under the direct authority of the Head of the Future Engineering Division, you will be responsible for:

• leading the Centre of Competence for Manufacturing and Serial Production, acting as the main point of contact for industrialisation and serial production matters;
• acting as the entry gate for industry on questions of industrialisation and serialisation;
• coordinating with ESA programmes and directorates to support industrialisation activities;
• liaising with core competences within the Agency, in particular standardisation, modelling and simulation, artificial intelligence and industrial policy.
• scouting for the most suitable production practices, methodologies and hardware/software implementations.

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• coordinating with ESA programmes, directorates and external initiatives to align and support industrialisation;
• facilitating collaboration between European (space) manufacturers, production experts and ESA technical experts in the domains of materials, components and quality, for example, to optimise supply chains, improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce costs;
• driving the adoption of advanced production techniques, automation and quality control to enable efficient, high-quality and cost-effective series production for space and ground systems;
• developing and implementing specialised training, digital maturity assessments and best practice benchmarks to enhance industrialisation competencies within the space sector;
• establishing facilities such as a model factory and testbed to demonstrate and validate advanced manufacturing technologies;
• developing digital frameworks, such as a product passport to support traceability and circularity and supply chain resilience;
• contributing to the Agency’s industrialisation strategy and policy, including the evolution of relevant standards, such as ECSS-I;
• building strategic relationships with industry, Member States and agencies to foster a unified, innovative and robust industrial ecosystem;
• supporting the creation of new industrial capabilities for the development of space products and applications;
• coordinating ESA’s goals for scaling up production, including demand forecasting, budgeting and potential acquisitions or facility expansions;
• representing industrialisation expertise in design studies, trade-offs and technology transfer programmes, promoting modular and scalable approaches;
• supporting the Agency’s tendering processes in assessing industry’s ability to deliver equipment, in particular for large numbers of systems/equipment.

Technical competencies

• General background and specific experience in the technical domains covered by the position
• Experience in supporting ESA programmes and/or projects and knowledge of their technical and programmatic requirements in relevant technical domains
• Expertise in scaling up production of new products for serial production, process validation and design for manufacturing/cost
• Knowledge of advanced production techniques, automation and quality control measures
• Proficiency in the integration of automation technologies, including robotics, real-time data analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning and statistical and analytical methods and tools
• Strong understanding of the entire product lifecycle, including the feedback loop to engineering for design refinement and the forward loop through testing and inspection phases
• Expertise in new 3D or 4D solutions to enhance industrial practices for training and production
• Understanding of software-based (AI-driven) software solutions for predictive maintenance or similar applications, robotics use optimisation and adaptive solutions for overall production cycle optimisation
• Proven track record in implementing industrialisation strategies with clear, measurable results and tangible improvements in industrial performance
• Strong expertise in industrialisation and serialisation, in particular outside the space sector, for example in the automotive or aeronautics industry, would be an asset.

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

A master's degree in a relevant domain is required for this post.

Additional requirements

• strong leadership and coordination skills
• ability to facilitate collaboration between different stakeholders
• excellent communication and organisational skills
• experience with machine vision and advanced testing frameworks
• familiarity with digital manufacturing tools

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
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 & eligible to acquire the 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.