Lead Space Segment Engineer
Noordwijk
- Organization: ESA - European Space Agency
- Location: Noordwijk
- Grade: Mid level - A2/A4 - Grade band
-
Occupational Groups:
- Engineering
- Outer space and satellite technology
- Managerial positions
- Closing Date: 2025-11-03
Lead Space Segment Engineer
Noordwijk, NL
Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands
Description
You will work as the Lead Space Segment Engineer within the Gateway I-Hab Engineering Team, which is part of the Gateway Project in the Lunar Exploration Group of the Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration. You will report to the Gateway I-Hab Engineering Team Leader.
The Gateway is a space station orbiting the Moon in a near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) that will be developed in cooperation between ESA, NASA, JAXA, CSA and MBRSC. ESA will contribute, among other things, to the Gateway with I-Hab, a pressurised module capable of hosting crew and providing accommodation for equipment and volume for storage, as well as docking ports and resources for visiting vehicles. It will support both pressurised and unpressurised utilisation (science and technology) and will provide interfaces for the operation of the external robotic arm.
In the framework of the I-Hab Project, you will supervise the design and development of the overall system architecture proposed by contractors, making sure it is sound and complaint with applicable requirements. You will contribute to ensuring that the I-Hab module system requirements are in line with the evolution of the Gateway Program and will support AIV activities at vehicle system level.
Duties
Your tasks and responsibilities will include:
- ensuring a coherent system architecture design and integration of subsystems and CFI/GFEs (customer-/government-furnished items/equipment) in compliance with applicable requirements. This task requires participation in system, subsystem and, in specific cases, equipment design reviews;
- supporting the engineering integration and consolidation of interface documents (IRDs/ICDs) towards external parties: HALO, Airlock, Orion, the launcher vehicle and visiting vehicles;
- maintaining and monitoring the evolution of technical budgets (mass, power, thermal and I/O) at system level;
- coordinating, with the rest of the team, the execution of design trade-offs or the evaluation of design changes at system level;
- supporting and monitoring the definition of the I-Hab system management and failure management from knowledge of the system and subsystem functional design;
- maintaining the I-Hab system requirement document, in coordination with other team members, the I-Hab Baseline Verification and AIT Team and the Product Assurance and Safety Team, ensuring correct flow-down of applicable requirements, engineering standards and tailoring of engineering standards as needed;
- supporting the I-Hab/ERM Engineering Control Board and the ESA/Industry Joint Engineering Control Board, providing recommendations to the Chair about positions that ESA should take concerning requirement changes at Gateway level impacting I-Hab, updates of the I-Hab design baseline, and the acceptability of variances (RFDs/RFWs);
- providing ad hoc support to the Gateway control boards and working groups in your area of responsibility;
- supporting the I-Hab Engineering Team Leader by providing early warning of potential problem areas, formulating risk statements and ensuring that appropriate mitigation actions are identified and followed up;
- providing ad hoc support to the I-Hab Contractual Control Board;
- participating in non-conformance review boards;
- supporting the I-Hab Engineering Team Leader in the planning of the I-Hab project design reviews and coordinating their execution with industry and international partners;
- following up AIV activities at vehicle level in support of and coordinated with the I-Hab Baseline, Verification and AIT Team.
Technical competencies
Behavioural competencies
Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking
For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook
Education
A master’s degree in a relevant discipline is required for this post.
Additional requirements
Experience or knowledge in the following domains is an asset:
- Human spaceflight design and development;
- Systems engineering analysis and verification;
- Spacecraft assembly, integration and testing.
The following skills are desirable:
- Ability to manage challenging situations proactively and constructively and to be customer-focused;
- Strong problem-solving skills to deal with day-to-day operational challenges, together with demonstrated planning and organisational skills;
- Taking responsibility and giving regular and constructive feedback.
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, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.
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.
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.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.