Laboratory Equipment Technician

SSC Space; Noordwijk; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Pension scheme 15.4%

40-hour work week

Generous leave: 12 public holidays + 3

Job summary

SSC Space Netherlands is seeking a dedicated Calibration Engineer to join the Engineering Services Section and support ESTEC laboratories.

You will coordinate external calibration, perform in-house temperature and humidity sensor calibration, and run annual interlaboratory comparisons, with focus on metrology, measurement uncertainty, and traceability. The role includes 40-hour weeks, relocation support, pension contributions, and training opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or technical qualification in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Instrumentation, Metrology, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 4 years of relevant experience in equipment calibration, maintenance, metrology, or laboratory technical support.
• Hands-on calibration experience for electrical and electronic measurement equipment (resistance, capacitance, DC voltage standards, temp/humidity sensors).
• Good knowledge of metrology principles and calibration procedures (measurement uncertainty, traceability, calibration certificates, standards e.g. ISO/IEC 17025).
• Experience performing or supporting interlaboratory comparisons (ILC) or proficiency testing.
• Experience in laboratory equipment management (maintenance planning, calibration scheduling, inventory control, equipment tracking systems, preferably Infor EAM).
• Ability to coordinate external calibration and maintenance suppliers (collection, shipment, return).
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to work independently in a multidisciplinary technical environment.
• Good command of English, both written and spoken.

Responsibilities

• Interface and coordinate activities with external calibration supplier.
• Plan and execute collection and return of equipment for calibration and maintenance; act as focal point for Engineering Services Section and ESTEC laboratories.
• In-house calibration of temperature and humidity sensors and issue calibration certificates.
• Perform annual calibrations of reference standards for resistance, capacitance, and DC voltage; issue certificates.
• Conduct annual interlaboratory comparisons (ILC) or similar tests for LEP scope.
• Calibrate DCU and VTR units every two years or per cycle; issue certificates and reports.
• Update the inventory tool (Infor EAM) for all items in Engineering Service Section and Test Centre.

Skills

Electrical/Electronic calibration

Measurement equipment calibration

Metrology principles

Interlaboratory comparisons (ILC)

Calibration scheduling

Equipment management

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree or technical qualification in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Instrumentation, Metrology, or related technical discipline

Tools

Infor EAM

Job description

Description

Intro

Welcome to SSC Space (formerly Swedish Space Corporation), the perfect workplace for those passionate about technology in general and space in particular.

With space organizations, research institutes, institutional and commercial actors as customers, we offer specialist expertise in satellite communications, space consulting services, rocket and balloon systems, flight test services, satellite propulsion systems, and much more.

SSC Space also has one of the world’s largest global networks of ground stations for satellite communications. We own and operate the Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, northern Sweden, with the aim of launching satellites in the near future.

Are you fueled by a passion for people and the ambition to create an awesome workplace? Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey with us to help earth benefit from space?

If you answer yes to these questions, we invite you to seize the opportunity to make a significant impact. We are looking for a dedicated professional who shares our core values of Customer passion, Care, Collaboration, Curiosity, and Courage.

Requirements

Specific Qualification requirements

• Bachelor's degree or technical qualification in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Instrumentation, Metrology, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 4 years of relevant experience in equipment calibration, maintenance, metrology, or laboratory technical support.
• Hands‑on experience in the calibration of electrical and electronic measurement equipment, particularly resistance, capacitance, DC voltage standards, and temperature/humidity sensors.
• Good knowledge of metrology principles and calibration procedures, including measurement uncertainty, traceability, calibration certificates, and relevant standards (e.g., ISO/IEC 17025).
• Experience performing or supporting interlaboratory comparisons (ILC) or proficiency testing activities.
• Experience in laboratory equipment management, including maintenance planning, calibration scheduling, inventory control, and equipment tracking systems (preferably Infor EAM).
• Ability to coordinate external calibration and maintenance suppliers, including equipment collection, shipment, and return.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently in a multidisciplinary technical environment.
• Good command of English, both written and spoken.

Legal and Security Requirements

• Only European Union (EU) citizens can be employed by SSC Space Netherlands for this specific position.
• Applicants are required to provide a copy of their passport and degree certificate. SSC Space Netherlands will validate the Degree with the issuing University and provide evidence to ESA.
• Prior to issuing a letter of employment the applicant shall provide to SSC Space Netherlands a recent official document declaring that they are of good conduct from the country where currently resident.

Responsibilities

Specific Tasks

The maintenance and calibration of equipment (mainly electrical) for the Engineering Services Section and for the ESTEC laboratories is arranged by ESA via an external supplier.
The Service Provider shall:

• Interface and coordinate the technical activities provided by the external supplier.
• Organise, plan and execute for the planning, collection and return of the equipment sent to the external supplier for calibration and maintenance and act as focal point for the Engineering Services Section and the Estec laboratories for this activity.
• Execute in house the calibration of temperature and humidity sensors according to the relevant work instruction available in the Laboratory Equipment Pool (LEP) and issue a calibration certificate.
• Perform annual calibrations of the reference standards for resistance, capacitance and DC Voltage and issue a calibration certificate.
• Perform annual interlaboratory comparisons (ILC) or similar activities in the scope of the LEP (e.g. for resistance, capacitance and DC Voltage, temperature and humidity), following a multi-year schedule agreed with the Head of the Engineering Services
• Calibrate every two years or in line with their calibration cycle if sooner, the DCU units of different generations (ngDCU and SMDCU) and the VTR units and produce a calibration certificate and report.
• Update the inventory tool, based on Infor EAM, for all the items belonging to the Engineering Service Section and the Test Centre. The update shall be done every time a new item is procured, or in case of change of any of the properties of an item (e.g. new maintenance, new calibration, new NEN inspection).

Benefits

Contract

• The selected candidate will receive good remuneration in line with ESA Job Class.
• Will be registered for both social security and tax in the Netherlands.
• The standard working hours are 40 per week. There are 12 public holidays and an additional 30 annual days holiday.
• Training to improve efficiency and provide strength for future career are of course included.
• SSC Space Netherlands assist with relocation both with support and financially.
• SSC Space Netherlands contributes 15,4% of pensionable salary to a company pension scheme and employees can optionally make additional contributions.

Outro

SSC Space is a leading global provider of advanced space services, with more than 50 years of experience. We help space organizations, research institutes, commercial and institutional actors from all over the world to get access to space.

With local presence on all continents and about 750 committed employees, we offer specialist expertise in satellite communications and satellite control services, spacecraft operations, rocket and balloon systems, launch services and flight test services, as well as engineering, operations and consultancy services for space missions.

We help Earth benefit from space. Learn more at sscspace.com