Software Product Assurance 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 post is classified A2-A4 on the Coordinated Organisations’ salary scale .

Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands  

Software Product Assurance Engineer in the Software Product Assurance (PA) Section, Quality, Dependability and PA Support Division, Product Assurance and Safety Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

The Section provides functional support to ESA projects and is responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of software PA expertise and standards. It carries out technological research (R&D) in software PA requirements, techniques, methodologies and tools. It also collaborates on standardisation and training activities.

You will report to the Head of Section and, within the technical fields described above, your main tasks and responsibilities will include: 

•    providing expert technical support and consultancy to ESA projects, which includes involvement in major project reviews and, where applicable, boards and panels;
•    supporting projects in monitoring contractor software PA programme execution to ensure compliance with software PA requirements;
•    preparing and implementing general programmatic and technical software PA requirements in line with Agency standards and specifications;
•    establishing project-specific programmatic and technical software PA requirements based on the ESA PA baseline;
•    supporting projects in evaluating contractor documentation and efforts proposed for the execution of software PA programmes;
•    evaluating proposed concepts, designs and operations for compliance with defined software PA requirements in order to include the performance of associated audits;
•    defining, initiating and managing R&D activities (software PA requirements, techniques, methodologies and tools) covering long- and short-term needs;
•    supporting and, at the line management’s request, participating in the Directorate’s competence domain activities;
•    auditing contractors and their in-house standards for compliance with ESA requirements, assessing the maturity of their software processes;
•    liaising with related engineering and PA specialists regarding overlapping areas of activity;
•    monitoring applicable scientific and technological trends and maintaining state-of-the-art expertise.

Your duties may also include supporting other activities within your field of competence. You will also act as the Section’s focal point for security assurance matters.

General background and specific experience in the technical domains covered by the position

Understanding of related technologies, R&D trends and familiarity with the industrial landscape

Project support experience in a relevant domain

Experience with the application of software product assurance tools and methods

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

Experience with Space Quality Standards and their preparation and implementation

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

A master’s degree in computer science, mathematics or software engineering is required for this post.

Experience in at least three of the following areas is required: software product assurance in critical real-time applications, software engineering, software configuration management, dependability assessment of software-intensive systems, software development and maintenance, software process assessment and auditing, and software security assurance.

Some knowledge in the following areas would be considered an asset for this position:
- Agile practices
- Quality assurance for machine learning models
- Big data software architectures and life cycles
- Data quality assurance
- Hands-on experience of static code analysis and tools
- Alternative software development life cycles, continuous integration and tools
- Security assurance and security best practices
- System security analysis, design and associated tools
- Security accreditation and certification methodologies and processes

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 email contact.human.resources@esa.int .

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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, Slovakia and Slovenia.

According to the ESA Convention, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will first be given to internal candidates and secondly to external candidates from under-represented Member States *.  

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.

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.