EuroQCI Technical Coordination Engineer

EuroQCI Technical Coordination Engineer in the EuroQCI Development section, Optical and Quantum Programme Office, System Strategic Programme Line and Technology Department, Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communications.

Description

The EuroQCI Technical Coordination Engineer will report to the Head of the EuroQCI Development Section. ESA has been entrusted by the European Commission with designing the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI). If selected, you will act as a key liaison between ESA and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment with ESA's role as EuroQCI Design Authority. You will be responsible for maintaining consistency in requirements, design, and implementation across internal and external activities. In addition, you will lead change management with external stakeholders, ensuring flow down and alignment with evolving project requirements. You will contribute to defining and executing industrial activities under the EuroQCI entrusted tasks and ensure accurate and consistent reporting to management. The role also involves supporting conferences, workshops, and related meetings to ensure a cohesive and strategic external message.

Duties

The main tasks and responsibilities will include:

• Serving as the internal and external coordination point for all technical matters related to ESA’s role as EuroQCI Design Authority.
• Ensuring alignment between ESA and its external stakeholders (European Commission, member states, national security authorities) regarding technical requirements, design, and implementation.
• Maintaining effective communication channels with industry, institutional stakeholders, and internal teams.
• Being the book-captain for EuroQCI mission requirements and ensuring their flow down into system requirements.
• Overseeing the coherence of EuroQCI requirements, design, and implementation across internal and external projects.
• Leading the change management process for external stakeholders and ensuring smooth adaptation to evolving requirements, standards, and processes, including participation in the EuroQCI/SAGA Engineering Board.
• Developing and implementing stakeholder engagement strategies to foster buy-in and ensure alignment with ESA’s evolving role and objectives.
• Identifying and addressing discrepancies, ensuring that all activities adhere to the European Commission’s and ESA’s defined standards and objectives.
• Contributing to the definition and execution of industrial activities within the EuroQCI entrusted tasks, ensuring their technical consistency with external activities.
• Ensuring reporting to ESA management that accurately reflects the technical status of both internal and external activities.
• Supporting conferences, workshops, and other relevant meetings, ensuring that the European Commission’s and ESA’s messaging remains consistent and aligned with strategic objectives.
• Representing ESA’s position in external technical engagements, reinforcing its role, objectives, and design authority.

You will be working in a cross-functional team comprising staff from across the Directorate’s departments, supported by technical experts from within the matrix structure. You will also interface closely with the various project teams as well as with related industrial teams.

Technical competencies

• Proven experience in defining mission/system and user/service requirements of complex satellite systems
• Proven experience in defining, designing, and analysing complex system architectures for satellite communications as well as experience in defining the related operations concept
• Knowledge of industrial costs and schedule aspects, space system development, and PA standards
• Complex project risk management processes
• Knowledge of ESA and industrial development, verification, and procurement processes

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

A master's in engineering or a relevant scientific discipline is required for this post.

Additional requirements

• Knowledge of quantum physics will be an asset.
• Engineering experience in complex space programmes (preferably in telecommunications) and up to launch and in-orbit testing is desirable.
• You should have experience in working in a cross-functional team and in promoting innovation through a creative collaboration process.
• Direct experience of working with the European Commission will be a distinct advantage.

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.
• 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.