Earth Observation Ground Segment and Data Manager

Job Posting Organization:
The European Space Agency (ESA) is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to the exploration of space. Established in 1975, ESA has grown to include 22 member states and employs over 2,200 staff members. The agency's mission is to shape the development of Europe's space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. ESA operates in multiple countries across Europe and collaborates with various international partners to advance space science and technology.

Job Overview:
The Earth Observation Ground Segment and Data Manager will play a crucial role within the ESA and Third-Party Missions Ground Segment Section. This position involves managing the onboarding activities of Earth Observation (EO) missions during their pre-launch phases and overseeing data generation and management operations post-launch. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring that mission-specific requirements are integrated into the ESA Missions Operations and Data Management Framework for EO Science Missions (EOF-EOS). This framework is designed to provide validated, quality EO science data to a wide user community. The role requires a proactive approach to monitoring industrial engineering activities and ensuring that all operational aspects are aligned with the evolving needs of new EO missions.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties of the Earth Observation Ground Segment and Data Manager include:

• Supporting the evaluation of new ESA EO missions based on operational concepts for science data generation and management systems, including assessing onboarding complexity and related costs.
• Contributing to the definition of new EO mission system requirements and collaborating with Space Segment and Flight Operations Segment Teams on mission-specific characteristics.
• Preparing onboarding plans for new EO missions, establishing project plans that encompass necessary evolutions to the EOF-EOS technical and operational baseline.
• Managing the procurement of new mission-specific elements and services, ensuring operational readiness through integration and validation activities.
• Coordinating the transfer to operations of mission-specific and mission-generic data management services.
• Overseeing data generation and management operations for EO missions, ensuring effective interaction with relevant EO service managers and teams.
• Generating and maintaining necessary management, technical, and operational documentation tailored to mission-specific needs.
• Proactively monitoring industrial engineering activities related to the maintenance and evolution of the EOF-EOS framework, focusing on mission-specific aspects.
• Assisting the Head of the ESA and Third-Party Missions Ground Segment Section with audits and support for other projects as required.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess solid system-level knowledge of data generation and management systems for EO missions. Proven experience in key technical domains such as mission planning and data processing throughout the entire mission life cycle is essential. Additionally, candidates should have good experience in operations management for EO data generation and management systems, as well as technical project management. Familiarity with procurement processes is also required. Behavioral competencies such as result orientation, operational efficiency, fostering cooperation, relationship management, continuous improvement, and forward thinking are crucial for success in this role.

Educational Background:
A master’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline is required for this position. Candidates should demonstrate a high level of motivation and dedication, with the ability to work effectively in an international and interdisciplinary team. A comprehensive understanding of ICT solutions, performance, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security, and data protection principles applied to operational services is also necessary. Knowledge of innovative technologies and operational approaches for scientific payload data processing would be considered an asset.

Experience:
The position requires candidates to have a minimum of four years of relevant professional experience following the completion of their master’s degree. However, if the selected candidate has less than four years of experience, the position may be filled at a lower grade level (A1).

Languages:
The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these languages is mandatory, while knowledge of another Member State language would be considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
The position is a four-year appointment, extendable to indefinite, and is based in Frascati, Italy. The recruitment process will prioritize internal candidates and external candidates from under-represented Member States. The Agency is committed to diversity and inclusiveness, welcoming applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability, or other characteristics. The Human Resources Department is available to provide assistance during the recruitment process, particularly for individuals with disabilities.