Head of the Secure Connectivity System Validation Section

Head of the Secure Connectivity System Validation Section in the Secure Connectivity System Office within the Secure Connectivity Department in the Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communications.

The ESA Programme Related to EU Secure Connectivity

The Secure Connectivity programme is designed to support the effective development and validation of the EU Secure Connectivity governmental infrastructure and the services provided by it, as well as the validation and demonstration of services based on the commercial infrastructure developed by the contractor(s) delivering the EU Secure Connectivity governmental infrastructure.

About the System Validation Section

The System Validation Section in the Secure Connectivity Department is responsible for all system validation tasks to support the effective qualification and validation of the overall Secure Connectivity system of systems.

Your Role

Reporting to the Head of the Secure Connectivity System Office, you will be responsible for the definition and implementation of the overall system qualification and validation programme of work for the Secure Connectivity system. You will work at various levels:

• Programme level: establish and coordinate activities with the Programme stakeholders;
• System level: define the system end-to-end qualification and validation;
• Segment level: ensure consistent qualification plans and adequate inputs into the system qualification.

Duties and Key Responsibilities

• Act as the qualification and validation authority for the IRIS2 system to ensure that the overall IRIS2 system infrastructure complies with the applicable mission and system requirements, both unclassified and classified, and is capable of providing the hard-gov and light-gov services during its operational lifetime.
• Oversee the incremental qualification of the overall IRIS2 system infrastructure at segment and system level up to the SQR (system qualification review) and the IOVR (in-orbit validation review).
• Monitor the relevant space and ground segment qualification activities in close cooperation with the corresponding space, ground and security offices to ensure that compliance with the mission/system baseline is correctly achieved at as early a stage as possible, and intervene in the event of non-conformances with an impact on the system or mission.
• Ensure the correct preparation and implementation of the system integration and qualification programme of work to reach IOC and FOC qualification, paying particular attention to the integration of various ground subsystems, such as MCC and S3C, and the end-to-end space transport network validation (space-ground compatibility), including tests with the pilot and test user terminals.
• Define and ensure implementation of the plan to achieve in-orbit validation in the IOVR.
• Support the service engineering towards the SVR (service validation review) for IOC and FOC.
• Define and manage the development of the system tools required to support system qualification and validation activities and coordinate their deployment and use.
• Continuously monitor the qualification status by reviewing design changes, new developments or changes outside the system requirements and assess their impact on the system qualification and on the roadmap for service provision.
• Ensure constant consolidation of the system-level statements of compliance (SOC), and provide fast and adequate reactions to any anomalies/non-compliance, including OPS anomalies, by deploying workarounds or element fast fixes.
• Maintain, in close cooperation with the PA Manager, the non-conformance correction plan and follow the corresponding non-conformance recovery or waiver approval.
• Support the establishment and maintenance of the IRIS2 roadmap, describing the incremental implementation of the system capabilities through successive system releases.
• Provide regular reporting to project management on all aspects of competence, identifying risks and problem areas and proposing mitigation actions where appropriate.
• Contribute to the management of the schedule and the maintenance of the overall project risk register and propose schedule risk mitigation actions.
• Support the Head of the Secure Connectivity System Office, developing and maintaining an efficient interface with the European Commission, EUSPA and the IRIS2 concessionaire.
• Identify, assess, manage and report the health and safety risks in your area of responsibility.

Technical Competencies

• Experience with the implementation of large space programmes or projects, ideally in the area of telecommunications.
• Knowledge of ESA Space systems development, verification and review processes and standards.
• Experience in systems engineering and verification of complex, large-scale secure systems, including interfaces, networks and protocols.
• Management and monitoring of industrial activities, for example through interfaces with industry and reviews.
• Experience in running large-scale system test campaigns.
• Experience in managing multi-disciplinary teams.

Behavioural Competencies

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

Education

A master's degree in engineering, physics or a related scientific field is required for this post.

Additional Requirements

• At least 10 years’ experience in system-level testing, integration and deployments, including the organisation of related test campaigns.
• The potential to manage individuals or a team in a project setting.
• The ability to organise individual and team activities and ensure a motivating work environment.
• Strong leadership capabilities, with proven relationship management and communication skills.
• The ability to drive your team’s performance, developing your people by encouraging learning, delegating responsibility and giving regular and constructive feedback.
• Strong problem-solving skills to deal with day-to-day operational challenges, together with demonstrated planning and organisational skills.
• A strong result orientation with the ability to set priorities and present practical solutions both orally and in writing.
• The ability to manage challenging situations proactively and constructively and to be customer-focused.

People management experience is an asset, as is international experience, i.e. outside your home country, as well as experience in diverse functional areas relevant to ESA activities. Direct experience of working with a commercial telecommunications company and/or operator will be a distinct advantage. Experience in public-private partnership projects would be an asset. Public speaking experience and the ability to conceptualise complex ideas would be beneficial. Experience working in projects with a security dimension would be beneficial. You must be prepared to travel on a regular basis, as many of the activities will take place on operational sites or at the AIV factories.

Important Information and Disclaimer

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

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.