System & Applications Architect and Pulse Project Lead

European Space Agency - ESA; Darmstadt; Vor Ort; EUR 80.000 - 100.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

A leading aerospace organization in Darmstadt is seeking a Project Lead for the Pulse project, focusing on the development of advanced Monitoring and Control Systems. The role requires a master's degree and a minimum of 10 years in IT and software architecture. Candidates will manage project risks, schedules, and budgets while overseeing a team of engineers. Excellent project management skills and experience with systems engineering are essential.

Qualifikationen

• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in large-scale IT and software architectures.
• Proven experience in coordinating multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Demonstrated ability to manage relationships with diverse stakeholder groups.

Aufgaben

• Ensure successful execution of all technical activities for project objectives.
• Manage project's financial performance against cost plan.
• Oversee project schedule and address risks proactively.

Kenntnisse

Project management methodologies

Systems engineering principles

Risk management

Ausbildung

Master's degree in relevant domain

Tools

MS Project

Jira

PowerBI

Jobbeschreibung

Job Requisition ID: 19744

Date Posted: 28 July 2025

Application Deadline: 18 August 2025 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication: Internal & External

Type of Contract: Permanent

Directorate: Operations

Workplace: Darmstadt, DE

Grade Band: A2 - A4

Location
ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany

Description
You will report to the Head of the System and Applications Engineering Division in the Ground Systems Engineering and Innovation Department of the Directorate of Operations and you will be the Project Lead for the Pulse project which aims to develop and adopt the new generation Monitoring and Control System.

The main objectives of Pulse are:

• the completion of the European Ground System – Common Core (EGS-CC) development as well as the subsequent maintenance and evolution;
• the completion and first operational adoption of the next generation Mission Control System (MCS-CC), which is based on EGS-CC. The first operational adoption is comprised of two elements:
  • deployment and validation for a mission already flying;
  • deployment and validation for a mission to be launched;
• The validation of ECS-CC suitability
  • for spacecraft checkout/AIT/AIV
  • as a kernel for further post-launch applications, in particular the Ground Station Missions Control System (GSMC-CC).

You will be responsible for all relevant industrial contracts, ensuring that project objectives are achieved within the defined schedule and budgetary constraints.

Duties
Your main responsibilities will be:

• ensuring the successful execution of all technical activities required to meet the project objectives;
• managing the project’s financial performance in line with the declared cost plan and agreed annual targets;
• overseeing the project schedule, proactively addressing technical, financial, and programmatic risks and issues;
• establishing and maintaining a project risk register, implementing mitigation actions to safeguard performance across all dimensions (technical, financial, or schedule related);
• providing regular technical, programmatic, and financial reports to management;
• promoting the project both internally and externally;
• leading and coordinating a team of ESA engineers, with support from the Technology, Engineering and Quality, and the Operations Directorates.

Beyond the EGS-CC and Mission Control Systems activities, you will also contribute to broader divisional goals by:

• promoting innovation and standardisation in the systems and applications engineering domain, including improvements in working processes, project management practices, tools and methods;
• developing and maintaining technical roadmaps for systems evolution;
• supporting technical activities such as test campaigns, anomaly investigations, technical trade-offs, system architecture studies, and design reviews;
• providing support during launches and other mission-critical phases;
• leading or contributing to R&D projects relevant to the division’s scope.

Technical competencies
Strong and proven skills in engineering project planning, management and execution, as well as management of industrial contracts

In-depth knowledge of systems engineering principles, including requirements analysis, design, integration, testing and lifecycle management

Strong command of project management methodologies, including Agile, Waterfall and Hybrid approaches

Expertise in planning, scheduling, budgeting, and risk management using tools such as MS Project, Jira, PowerBI or similar

Preferred experience with ground segment systems, such as monitoring and controls (such as the European Ground Segment Common Core [EGS-CC] and/or SCOS-2000), mission planning system or similar tools, delivering mission-critical systems

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

For more information, please refer to the ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

*(esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/careers/ESA_Competency_Framework.pdf)

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

Additional requirements
You are expected to bring a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in the design, development, and management of large-scale IT and software architectures, systems integration, maintainability, and evolution with a strong background in the following areas:

• people and team leadership: proven experience in coordinating multidisciplinary engineering teams;
• stakeholder engagement: demonstrated ability to manage relationships with diverse stakeholder groups, including user communities, industrial partners, and internal cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment of technical and programmatic objectives;
• procurement processes: solid experience in the procurement and technical oversight of industrial services and complex development contracts, preferably within the institutional space context;
• inter-organisational collaboration: practical experience of working within complex programmes involving multiple organisations, including international partners, demonstrating the ability to operate effectively across organisational boundaries.

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 [e-mail].

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.

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