Product Assurance and Safety Engineer

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY; Noordwijk; Remote; EUR 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The European Space Agency in the Netherlands is seeking a Product Assurance and Safety (PA&S) Engineer to join the Exploration and Science PA&S Section and work on the LISA Project within the PA&S team. You will support PA&S managers, maintain baselines, coordinate with industry and suppliers, monitor plans, participate in NRB/CCB boards, and contribute to RAMS and software assurance programs.

A Master’s degree and at least four years of relevant experience are required; advanced knowledge of

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field with at least four years of professional experience.
• Experience in PA&S management for space projects.
• Knowledge of PA&S disciplines (quality assurance, RAMS, materials and processes, EEE components and/or software product assurance).

Responsibilities

• Establishing and maintaining the PA&S requirements baseline per ESA policies.
• Ensuring PA&S requirements are implemented by industry and suppliers; supporting reviews and verification of compliance.
• Monitoring the implementation of approved plans and specifications; ensuring adequate resources for PA&S programme.
• Coordinating technical aspects of service support and acting as the primary contact between service functions and project teams.
• Planning, coordinating and monitoring the PA&S workforce support.
• Participating in boards for disposition of deviations (CCB) and changes to the design.
• Representing ESA in boards for non-conformances and anomalies; monitoring corrective actions (NRB) and reviews.
• Ensuring RAMS and software assurance programs support design decisions and verification.
• Overseeing manufacturing, assembly, integration and test activities; conducting acceptance reviews.

Skills

PA&S management

Quality assurance

RAMS

Project coordination

Stakeholder communication

Education

Master's degree in a relevant field

Bachelor's degree + 4 years experience

Tools

Project management tools

Safety tooling

Job description

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Closing Date: 11 November 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication Method: Internal & External

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

Directorate: Technology, Engineering and Quality

You will be assigned as a Product Assurance and Safety (PA&S) Engineer to the Exploration and Science PA&S Section, Product Assurance Management Division, Quality Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

The Exploration and Science PA&S Section provides PA&S management and coordination for the missions and activities of the Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration and the Directorate of Science.

Upon joining the Exploration and Science PA&S Section, you will assume the role of PA&S Engineer for the LISA Project and become part of the related Project Core Team. As such, while reporting hierarchically to the Head of the Exploration and Science PA&S Section, you will report functionally to the LISA Project.

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include supporting the Project PA&S Managers in:

• establishing and maintaining the PA&S requirements baseline in compliance with ESA policies;
• ensuring the implementation of the PA&S requirements by industry and other suppliers (e.g. CFI providers), supporting milestone reviews and participating in the process of verifying compliance with requirements;
• monitoring the implementation of approved plans and specifications from industry and other suppliers (e.g. CFI providers), ensuring that adequate resources are deployed for the implementation of the PA&S programme;
• coordinating the technical aspects of relevant service support and acting as the primary point of contact between service functions and project teams;
• planning, coordinating and monitoring the support provided by the assigned PA&S workforce;
• participating in the boards for the disposition of deviations from the requirements baseline (CCB), and changes to the agreed design;
• representing ESA in the boards established for the disposition of non-conformances and anomalies, and the definition and monitoring of relevant corrective and preventive actions (NRB), failure investigations, and project technical reviews (e.g. MRR, TRR, PTR or TRB);
• ensuring the implementation of the reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS) programme and the software assurance programme, including their support for design trade-off decisions and verification of requirements;
• monitoring the selection, procurement and use of electrical, electronic and electromechanical (EEE) components, and materials, mechanical parts and processes (MMPP);
• monitoring manufacturing, assembly, integration and test activities through mandatory and key inspection points, test witnessing, quality assurance checks, etc.;
• conducting the acceptance reviews of all contractually deliverable items;
• reviewing the safety data packages from industry and other suppliers (e.g. CFI providers) as needed, ensuring that they are made available on time to the corresponding safety authorities, and supporting safety reviews and other key events for ground and launch safety;
• supervising PA&S activities during the launch campaign;
• performing any other PA&S tasks necessary to ensure a safe and successful mission.

In carrying out tasks for the Project, you will receive support from experts of the ESA Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

In addition to your Project responsibilities, you will support the Head of the Exploration and Science PA & Safety Section in improvement activities and cross-project coordination.

Experience in PA&S management for space projects (for example as PA&S Manager or PA&S Engineer)

Knowledge of individual PA&S disciplines (quality assurance, RAMS, materials and processes, EEE components and/or software product assurance)

Experience in the monitoring of industrial activities, including participation in inspections, audits and reviews

Understanding of space systems engineering

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

A master’s degree in a relevant field is required for this position, together with at least four years of relevant professional experience. Alternatively, candidates with a bachelor’s degree and an additional four years of relevant professional experience may be considered.

Additional requirements

• The ability to manage complex decision-making processes, especially under pressure and in the presence of conflicting positions or priorities.
• Strong aptitude for reaching pragmatic, solution-oriented, fact-based decisions that maintain appropriate standards of quality.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Previous experience of working as a PA&S Engineer or Manager on scientific space projects and/or working with partners such as other space agencies, research institutes and universities would be considered an asset.

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 & eligible to acquire the 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.