Vega and Space Rider Flight Dynamics Engineer

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY; Frascati; Remote; EUR 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

ESA in Frascati invites applications for the Vega and Space Rider Flight Dynamics Engineer. You will join the GNC, AOCS and Pointing Division and lead trajectory analyses, separation studies and collision avoidance for Vega, Vega-C and Space Rider missions. You will develop and maintain in‑house flight dynamics tools and support mission feasibility from early phases through post‑flight analyses, working with ESTEC and industry partners.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in engineering with 4 years of space engineering experience.
• Experience in flight dynamics, trajectory analysis, and mission analysis.
• Knowledge of launcher GNC interfaces and launcher systems is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Serve as focal point for flight dynamics analyses for Vega missions.
• Perform trajectory, separation, and collision-avoidance analyses.
• Develop and maintain in-house flight dynamics tools.
• Support early mission feasibility through to final mission analysis.
• Coordinate with ESA teams, ESTEC and industrial partners.

Skills

Flight dynamics

Trajectory analysis

Systems engineering

Space engineering

Education

Master’s degree in engineering

Tools

ASTOS

Job description

Vega and Space Rider Flight Dynamics Engineer

Type of Appointment ( learn more) : 4 years, extendable to indefinite

Directorate: Technology, Engineering and Quality

The post is subject to rotation. At the end of the 4-year assignment, notwithstanding possible extension of the appointment, a further assignment in an ESA establishment will be considered.

Description

Vega and Space Rider Flight Dynamics Engineer, reporting to the Head of the GNC Systems Architecture Section (parent organisation unit), in the GNC, AOCS and Pointing Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

For your first assignment, you will be located at ESRIN and provide support to the Vega and Space Rider Launch System and Engineering Division, Flight Programmes Department, Directorate of Space Transportation.

Duties

This Division is responsible for managing engineering expertise in the Vega and Space Rider Integrated Project Team, supporting ESA and institutional missions, ensuring compatibility between launch systems, payloads and mission requirements. The Division is also responsible for maintaining technical consistency in the development and exploitation of the Vega-C, Vega-E and Space Rider systems, as well as for the implementation of the launch system industrial activities.

Within this context, you will serve as the focal point for all aspects relating to the flight dynamics of the Vega launcher family and Space Rider, from early mission feasibility through final mission analysis and post flight assessment. You will conduct and oversee trajectory, separation and collision avoidance analyses, support development activities, contribute to post flight analyses and anomaly investigations, maintain mission registers and technical documentation, and develop and adapt in house flight dynamics tools to evolving launcher configurations and mission needs, in close coordination with internal ESA teams, ESTEC and industrial partners.

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• serving as the focal point for all trajectory analyses to be performed as part the preparation of Vega missions;
• supporting the GNC system development with an emphasis on guidance definition through trajectory analysis and optimisation in closed-loop;
• supporting ESA and institutional customers, from the early development phases, on all aspects related to payload compatibility with the Vega launcher family, in close coordination with the experts from the Vega Integrated Project Team;
• participating in Vega-C mission analyses covering the full lifecycle from early feasibility studies and activities through to final mission analyses, ensuring the compliance of mission characteristics with the launcher’s qualified domain;
• conducting preliminary separation and collision-avoidance analyses, based on preliminary mission inputs, to support ESA and institutional missions;
• performing long-term trajectory propagation analyses, including critical reviews of industrial inputs related to no-collision and mid-term collision avoidance assessments, with particular emphasis on Vega-C dual-launch and multi-payload configurations;
• supporting Vega-C post-flight mission analyses related to trajectory and separation performance, including contributions to anomaly investigations within the relevant domain and the performance of independent cross-checks where required, for example to refine internal model uncertainties;
• maintaining the register of future missions and preparing bi-yearly internal reports highlighting key criticalities with respect to the launcher’s qualified perimeter;
• producing relevant technical documentation and presenting analysis results to ESA and institutional customers as well as to internal or external stakeholders;
• maintaining, adapting and further developing in-house flight dynamics tools to accommodate new launcher characteristics and evolving mission needs, including mathematical solvers and tools for concurrent optimisation of GNC-related aspects of the space vehicle and trajectory.

Flight dynamics and analysis of launchers and re-entry vehicles

Launcher system engineering and launcher performance analysis

Trajectory analysis and optimisation, including transient flight phases and separation dynamics

Long-term trajectory propagation, collision avoidance and multi-payload mission analysis

Development, validation and maintenance of launcher flight dynamics and mission analysis tools and numerical models

Technical assessment and independent verification of industrial analyses and data

Knowledge of launcher GNC and its interfaces with propulsion, structures, operations and other system disciplines

Knowledge of the European launcher sector and the Vega launcher family

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

A master’s degree in engineering is required with 4 years of experience in space engineering, ideally in the space transportation field.

Additional requirements

• Professional experience in one or more relevant technical domains within the space sector, such as flight dynamics, mission or trajectory analysis, system engineering, trajectory optimisation or analysis of transient flight phases, including separation.
• Experience in launcher systems and launcher design, including basic understanding of launcher performance, mission envelopes, staging concepts and operational or qualification constraints.
• Experience in mission analysis activities, including trajectory definition, long-term propagation, separation analysis and collision-avoidance studies.
• Ability to review industrial analyses and data and to perform independent checks and sensitivity analyses.
• Knowledge of, or initial hands-on experience with, ASTOS for trajectory and mission analysis would be an asset, together with the ability and willingness to learn and adapt to additional engineering tools.
• Familiarity with multi-payload and complex launcher mission concepts, such as dual launch, rideshare and evolving mission configurations, would be an asset.
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary engineering environment and interacting with agency teams, industry and institutional customers would be an asset.
• Initial practical experience in trajectory optimisation would be a strong asset.
• Strong analytical skills, a results-oriented approach, the ability to work effectively in a team and good interpersonal skills are essential.

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 & 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, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.

According to the ESA Convention, staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, taking into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the 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.