Project Management Engineer

Akkodis; Noordwijk; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Akkodis Aerospace seeks a Project Management Engineer for Orbital Projects to join our team onsite at the European Space Agency in the Netherlands. The role covers end-to-end project management and engineering oversight of ESA Academy orbital projects, including CubeSats and experiments for ISS and Space Rider.

You will coordinate with ESA experts, universities, industry partners and international stakeholders, drive cycles from proposal to operations, and support reviews and training activities

Qualifications

• Master degree in Engineering with at least 4 years of relevant experience.
• Experience managing complex technical projects and coordinating multidisciplinary stakeholders.
• Experience with multidisciplinary engineering teams and technical development projects.
• Experience in project management, planning, risk management and documentation.
• Familiarity with systems engineering and project lifecycle management.
• Experience in international environments.
• Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills.
• Fluent in English; another Member State language is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and maintain project documentation, procedures, reports and lessons learned.
• Coordinate activities with ESA stakeholders, universities, industry partners and international organisations.
• Support procurement, contractual and data protection activities as needed.
• Contribute to outreach, workshops, conferences and educational events.
• Maintain programme databases and online collaboration platforms.
• Monitor project planning, progress, risks and performance.
• Coordinate reviews and mentorship across education and engineering activities.

Skills

Project management

Engineering coordination

Stakeholder management

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Communication skills

Education

Master's degree in Engineering

Job description

We are looking for a Project Management Engineer for Orbital Projects to join our Akkodis Aerospace team, working onsite at the European Space Agency in the Netherlands.

Akkodis has proudly supported the Aerospace & Defence industry in the Netherlands for decades. Our partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) has been one of the many success stories allowing our people to expand their career horizons. Akkodis experts are contributing to some of the most important technical advances in Aerospace and Defence which impact the way we live our lives today, through specialised engineering expertise and other required skillsets. This could be your future. Become part of our successful team!

Overview:

The role covers end-to-end project management and engineering oversight of ESA Academy orbital projects involving university student teams. Activities focus on the design, development, testing, launch and operation of CubeSats and experiments for orbital platforms such as the International Space Station (ISS), Space Rider and other ESA-supported missions. The successful candidate will coordinate projects throughout all phases of their lifecycle, from proposal selection and project kick-off through design reviews, testing campaigns, launch preparation and mission operations, working closely with ESA experts, industry partners, academia and international stakeholders.

General tasks to be performed:

• Prepare and maintain project documentation, procedures, reports, statistics and lessons learned documentation.
• Coordinate activities with ESA stakeholders, universities, industry partners, service providers and international organisations.
• Support procurement, contractual, administrative and data protection activities when required.
• Contribute to outreach, communication, workshops, conferences, meetings and educational events.
• Maintain programme databases, online collaboration platforms, shared workspaces and programme tools.
• Collect, analyse and report programme statistics, feedback and performance indicators.
• Collaborate across ESA Education activities and contribute to the continuous improvement of existing programmes and the development of new initiatives.

Specific tasks to be performed:

• Manage ESA Academy orbital projects throughout all project phases, from proposal selection through design, testing, launch and operations.
• Support programmes such as Fly Your Satellite!, Fly Your Satellite! Design Booster, Fly Your Satellite! Test Opportunities and orbital experiment initiatives involving the ISS and Space Rider.
• Coordinate calls for applications, project selection activities, programme organisation and participant support.
• Monitor project planning, engineering progress, quality, risks, communications and overall project performance.
• Coordinate technical supervision activities with ESA engineers, scientists and external experts to ensure compliance with requirements and standards.
• Organise and support project reviews, including Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), Critical Design Reviews (CDR), Flight Acceptance Reviews (FAR) and other milestone reviews.
• Coordinate mentorship, training activities and technical workshops covering project management, systems engineering and CubeSat development.
• Support student teams during assembly, integration, verification, testing, launch campaigns and operational activities.
• Coordinate sponsorship, travel arrangements and logistics related to programme activities.
• Contribute to CubeSat and nanosatellite training programmes, workshops and educational events.
• Support ESA outreach activities, student engagement initiatives and participation in relevant events and conferences.
• Develop and maintain relationships with universities, research institutes, industry partners and space sector organisations across Europe.
• Identify opportunities for new partnerships, programme enhancements and increased student participation.

To successfully perform the above mentioned tasks, the following background / experience is required:

• Master degree, or equivalent, in Engineering combined with at least 4 years of relevant experience.
• Experience managing complex technical projects and coordinating multidisciplinary stakeholders.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary engineering teams and technical development projects.
• Experience in project management, planning, risk management and technical documentation.
• Familiarity with systems engineering principles and project lifecycle management.
• Experience in international environments.
• Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills.
• Good communication skills, verbal (in public and during formal meetings) and written.
• Fluent in English; knowledge of another Member State language is an asset.

About ESA-ESTEC

The European Space Agency (ESA) has sites in several European countries.

The European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), has grown into ESA's largest establishment and the technical and organizational hub of Europe’s space sector. Missions designed and tested at ESTEC are circling Earth, have landed on planetary bodies and have probed far into the Solar System.

The infrastructure and equipment assembled here, together with the expert knowhow of its 2800 personnel, make ESTEC a unique resource for Europe. The work done here by teams skilled in every aspect of engineering for space has enabled the creation of novel communication, navigation and information services, creating new jobs and growth while improving the lives of European and world citizens.