Science Operations System Engineer

Science Operations System Engineer

**Job Requisition ID**:19781

**Date Posted**:11 September 2025

**Closing Date**:2 October 2025 23:59 CET/CEST

**Publication**:Internal & External

**Type of Contract**:Permanent

**Directorate**:Science

**Workplace**:Villanueva de la Cañada, ES

**Grade Band**:A2 - A4

**Location**
ESAC, Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain

**Description**
The European Space Agency maintains a world-leading Science Programme with missions in heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics and fundamental physics. Its mission is to “Empower Europe to lead space science”.
The Science Operations Department (SCI-S), within ESA's Directorate of Science, hosts the scientists and engineers who oversee the space missions from study to the end of operations, develops the science operation systems for the missions and operates the missions in space, and archives and curates their data during operations and beyond. Its main objective is to maximise the scientific output of the missions for the benefit of humankind.
The Department also supports other ESA Directorates in the archiving of their science data and the maximisation of the scientific output of their missions. This position will support the provision of such services to the Directorate of Navigation.

As Science Operations System Engineer for the Navigation Science Operations Centre, you will report to the Head of the Navigation Science Operations Section (SCI-SON) in the Science Operations Department. In close coordination with the Directorate of Navigation, you will be responsible for the operations and all system engineering aspects of the ESA-provided elements of the Navigation Science Operations Centre and its interfaces. This includes the design, definition and implementation of a worldwide reference ESA GNSS science archive in close collaboration with the Directorate of Science’s European Space Data Centre (ESDC), as well as designing, developing and implementing science operations support for the Genesis mission. The Navigation Science Operations Centre and its GNSS science archive integrate all available GNSS data sources to foster GNSS science research in Europe. In this role, you will also implement navigation science activities and stimulate the emergence of spin-off initiatives with industry.

In the Directorate of Navigation, your main interfaces will be the Navigation Science Manager and the Genesis Project Manager in the Future Navigation Department. In the Directorate of Operations, you will coordinate your activities closely with the Navigation Support Office.**Duties**
Your tasks and responsibilities will include:
- defining, maintaining and evolving the overall architecture and interfaces of the Navigation Science Operations Centre systems under ESA responsibility in close collaboration and in accordance with the priorities agreed with the Directorate of Navigation. This includes the setup, deployment and execution of the corresponding system engineering processes, closely adhering to the Department’s PA regulations;
- coordinating the science activities and data archiving of navigation projects by the Navigation Science Operations Centre with the aim of maximising their scientific return, in close collaboration and in accordance with the priorities agreed with the Directorate of Navigation. This includes initiating and following up the necessary contractual actions with industry and/or ESA service providers;
- coordinating the definition and evolution of navigation science archive user requirements, and the production of higher-level data products where relevant, including the generation of the corresponding long-term development roadmaps and identification of future opportunities;
- organising all necessary system development, testing and validation activities, ensuring that the user needs are met;
contributing to the establishment of standards in the area of GNSS science data systems;
- supporting the Directorate of Navigation in the elaboration of recommendations to the Directorate of Navigation, Directorate of Science and other ESA directorates on the potential use of the Navigation Science Operations Centre and the associated archives in future ESA missions and programmes relating to GNSS science;
- supporting the Directorate of Navigation in the definition, planning and implementation of ESA GNSS science activities and the stimulation of industry spin-off from GNSS science activities;

**Technical competencies**
Experience in systems engineering, from requirements engineering to design and development, and then verification and validation, preferably, for science operationsKnowledge of ECSS system engineering standardsExperience in development, operations and maintenance of ground infrastructure and/or software systems, preferably for science operationsExperience of dealing with industrial contracts and service providers- **Behavioural competencies**
Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Rela