Earth Observation Systems Engineer

Serco is a leading Space Services Provider with thousands of skilled resources that has supported over 50 space missions on behalf of more than 10 Space or Government agencies around the globe, including ESA and NASA.

Serco offers space capability across the full space lifecycle from satellite testing to Launch services, LEOP to spacecraft operations, space surveillance to data management, and supporting downstream application development. With over 55 years history in the space sector Serco is well placed to contribute to National strategies and New Space ventures who want to scale their businesses/organizations with skilled talent.

On behalf of our client, the European Space Agency, we are looking for a skilled EO System Engineer to join our team at the ESA-ESTEC site, in the Netherlands. Step into a remarkable role that grants you access to one of the globe’s highly coveted space agencies – an opportunity that launches your career into orbit!

Main Responsibilities

As an Earth Observation System Engineer you will concentrate your activities on the following:

• Observation (EO) missions, in particular for Copernicus Sentinels, new Earth Explorer/Earth Watch missions, Opportunity.
• Missions, F-sats and Scout missions and operational meteorology missions.
• Provide system engineering support to InCubed missions.
• Review Technical Notes and actively participate to progress meetings and reviews related to EO future mission and system studies.
• Support elaboration of SoWs, system requirements documents (SRD) and other applicable and reference documents for future mission and system studies.
• Contributing to ensure the technical coherency of the system design of future EO missions, including, as needed, functional analysis and design, overall system concept, system level budgets, system performance analyses, definition of spacecraft and/or payload subsystems and related data processing, and interfaces between payload/platform and launcher and ground segment.
• Perform internal studies for future EO missions, in particular to assess the results of external activities or to prepare the formulation of new mission concepts, including preliminary sizing of platform/payload, first estimation of the system engineering and performance budgets, with a focus on the space segment and its interfaces with the launcher and the ground segment.
• Perform internal studies to evaluate the complementarity between ESA EO future missions and other missions (existing or planned by other space organizations), including mission analysis and assessment of potential synergy or overlap of mission capabilities.
• Support work in the area of modelling of system or sub-system aspects for end-to-end performance simulation and system engineering tools for future EO missions.

Do you think you are the person we are looking for? See below what experience or knowledge you should bring:

• At least Masters level (or equivalent) in a relevant technical or scientific discipline (e.g. Space system engineering).
• Minimum 4 years of related experience.
• Good general knowledge of ESA Earth Observation missions.
• Strong and demonstrated background in space system engineering and mission analysis, in particular for Earth Observation missions.
• Experience in space projects, preferably in the Earth Observation field and/or in preparatory activities (phase 0 and A).
• Experience with simulation tools: Matlab or Python, MS Excel with VBA.
• Good communication and technical writing skills with capabilities to synthesize.
• Methodical and proactive, with initiative and capability to work autonomously.
• Problem-solving and creativity-oriented attitude.
• Comfortable with working in a diverse and multinational team environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills are needed, together with a high degree organizational and communication abilities.
• Proficient in the English language, both written and spoken.
• Knowledge of another EU member state language is an asset.
• Candidates must be eligible to work in the EU.

In return we would offer relocation assistance to the Netherlands for those EU applicants that required relocation. On top of this Serco would offer a competitive salary and a corporate benefits package. We are experts in relocating people across Europe so will make the transition as smooth as possible to assist you in your new career.