Product Assurance & Safety Engineer

Vacancy in the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

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, beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. Applications from women are encouraged.

This is a non-renewable post for a limited duration of 4 years and is classified A2-A4 on the Coordinated Organisations’ salary scale.

This opportunity is open for the specific needs of a National Project. Accordingly, the external candidate selected for this post will continue to be considered an external candidate for the purposes of any future applications to the Agency.

Location
ESRIN, Frascati, Italy 

Product Assurance and Safety (PA&S)* Engineer in the Product Assurance and Safety Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

You will be assigned as integrated support to the Earth Observation Projects Department within the ESRIN Integrated Programme Teams and will report functionally to the D-EOP (NRRP National Recovery and Resilience Plan) Programme Manager for project-specific responsibilities and duties.

For the maintenance of professional standards, for the implementation of the ESA general Product Assurance and Safety (PA&S) policy and for contributions to corporate tasks (e.g. reviews, standardisation, alerts, lessons learned, etc.), you will report to the Head of the Product Assurance and Safety Department through the Head of the Earth Observation Product Assurance and Safety Office.

Your duties in this role will include:

• providing expert support to ESA projects, programmes and technology development programme activities in the area of PA&S engineering and management;
• preparing and implementing general and project-specific programmatic and technical requirements based on the applicable product and quality assurance baseline;
• supporting the monitoring and reporting of supplier PA&S programme execution to ensure compliance with applicable requirements. This may include auditing activities;
• contributing to management and technical boards with respect to the execution and review of a project’s PA&S programme;
• supporting the definition, initiation and management of R&D activities (in product and quality assurance, requirements, techniques, methodologies, tools) covering long- and short-term needs;
• supporting the establishment and implementation of standards and best practices in the product and quality assurance field;
• contributing to and, at the line management’s request, participating in the Directorate’s areas of competence;
• supporting the implementation of the configuration management system under ESA projects;
• monitoring applicable scientific/technological trends, maintaining state-of-the-art expertise;
• contributing to the dissemination and implementation of principles and approaches aimed at reducing the development cycle time in compliance with applicable standards;
• contributing to the dissemination of the results of activities performed and the transfer of knowledge across the Agency.

Your duties may also include providing support for other activities within your area of competence.
In carrying out these tasks, you will receive support from experts from the ESA Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality. In addition to the Project responsibilities, you will, as necessary, support the Earth Observation PA&S Office activities, including improvement initiatives and coordination meetings.

Knowledge of Quality Management, Product Assurance and Safety disciplines

Experience in the management of Product Assurance for a space project

Good knowledge of software and RAMS engineering techniques

Experience in the implementation of SW development methodologies and tools, including Agile

Experience in the procurement, management and monitoring of industrial activities, including participation in audits and project reviews

Experience with Space Quality Standards and their implementation

Experience with the application of product assurance tools and methods

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

A master’s degree in engineering or technical sciences is required for this post.

You should have a good background in space systems. Experience in the area of optical payloads is an asset.

​Other information

For behavioural competencies expected from ESA staff in general, please refer to the ESA Competency Framework .

For further information please visit: Professionals , What we offer  and FAQ    

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.   

The Agency may require applicants to undergo selection tests.

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 at [email protected] .

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Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia.

In accordance with the European Space Agency’s security procedures and as part of the selection process, successful candidates will be required to undergo basic screening before appointment conducted by an external background screening service. 

Recruitment will normally be at the first grade in the band (A2); however, if the candidate selected has little or no experience, the position may be filled at A1 level.