Copernicus CRISTAL and Sentinel-3 Next Generation Topography Lead System Engineer

European Space Agency - ESA; Noordwijk; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

European Space Agency (ESTEC, Noordwijk) seeks a Lead System Engineer for the Copernicus CRISTAL and Sentinel-3 Next Generation Topography missions. This fixed-term appointment spans 4 years with potential extension up to 8 years, located at ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands, within Earth Observation Programmes.

You will lead system engineering activities, establish and maintain mission and space segment requirements, and coordinate operations concepts and validation with internal teams and external

Responsibilities

• Establish, consolidate and maintain system and space segment requirements derived from mission requirements, ensuring traceability and verification.
• Define and implement the mission operations concept to support space segment design and in-orbit commissioning.
• Assist in system definition (architecture and interfaces) and mission analysis to ensure compliance with requirements.
• Coordinate verification planning and traceability between mission requirements and space segment systems with project teams and other directorates.
• Support System Manager in interfacing with satellite prime contractor for LEOP and commissioning activities and validation.
• Assist in Phase E1 commissioning and cal/val planning and execution, coordinating with relevant segments and partners.
• Interface with Flight Operations Segment, Copernicus Ground Segment, external partners like EUMETSAT and NASA for calibration/validation.

Job description

Copernicus CRISTAL and Sentinel-3 Next Generation Topography Lead System Engineer

This is a fixed-term appointment with an initial duration of 4 years. Depending upon performance and organisational needs, the appointment may be extended up to a possible maximum duration of 8 years.

Location

ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Directorate: Earth Observation Programmes.

Description

Lead System Engineer for the Copernicus CRISTAL and Sentinel-3 Next Generation Topography (S3 NGT) altimetry missions in the Copernicus Space Segment Programme within the Earth Observation Projects Department, Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes.

The assignment covers the activities relating to Phases D/E1 of the CRISTAL satellites and Phases B2/C/D/E1 of the Sentinel-3 Next Generation Topography satellites.

Grade Band

A2 - A4

You will report to the relevant System Managers for all technical matters and will work within the relevant project teams.

You will contribute to the establishment and maintenance of the system and space segment requirements derived from the mission requirements, ensuring their traceability and monitoring their implementation and compliance verification.

You will support the definition, preparation and execution of operations during all phases, up to and including in-orbit commissioning (end of Phase E1).

In coordination with the System Managers, you will interface with the Flight Operations Segment and the Copernicus Ground Segment to ensure proper coordination regarding operations and ground segment matters.

You will collaborate within the project teams and will benefit from specialist technical support from the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality (D/TEC).

Duties

• contributing to the establishment, consolidation and maintenance of the system and space segment requirements derived from the mission requirements, ensuring their traceability and monitoring their implementation and compliance verification;
• contributing to the definition and implementation of the mission operations concept to be used in support of the space segment design and in-orbit commissioning;
• supporting to system definition (system architecture and interfaces) and the associated mission analysis, ensuring compliance with space segment system and operations interface requirements;
• coordinating the overall verification planning, compliance, consistency and traceability between mission requirements and space segment system requirements by coordinating any potential support from the rest of the project teams or from other departments/directorates;
• supporting the System Manager in interfacing with the satellite prime contractor to follow the operations preparation activities, including LEOP and commissioning, as well as the functional validation activities;
• supporting the System Manager and the Payload Manager in the preparation of the Phase E1 commissioning and cal/val plan and the implementation of the Phase E1 commissioning and cal/val activities;
• interfacing with the Flight Operations Segment and Copernicus Ground Segment teams, external institutional partners, such as EUMETSAT and NASA, and other partners, for example calibration/validation