Science Operations Scientist

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 Department for Science and Operations (SCI-S), within ESA's Directorate for Science, host the scientists and engineers that oversee the space missions from study to end of operations; it develops the science operation systems for the missions and operates the missions in space; it archives and curates their data during operations and beyond.

We are looking for a Science Operations Scientist to join our team.

Location

ESAC, Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain.

Your mission

You will initially be assigned as Science Operations Scientist and Archive Scientist for High-Energy Astronomy Missions, to the XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL mission.You will initially be responsible for high-energy astronomy cross-calibration, scientific data processing and archive product generation. You will work in close collaboration with the Mission Managers and Project Scientists of high-energy missions currently in operations, as well as with staff in the ESAC Science Data Centre, and will be responsible for coordinating the work of the companies providing services to support your tasks. You will be expected to strive for innovation and excellence in synergies between operations of current and future ESA high-energy astronomy missions, especially with respect to cross-calibration, scientific data processing and archive product generation. Specific responsibilities will include:

• ensuring improvements and monitoring of the instrument calibration of current and upcoming high-energy missions, with a special emphasis on understanding the cross-calibration between different instruments and missions;
• actively coordinating (cross-)calibration studies and campaigns with partners in other space agencies;
• advising future high-energy missions during their study or project phases on questions of scientific data processing, calibration needs and approaches;
• involvement in scientific data processing, especially for the maintenance and modernisation of the scientific pipeline processing of XMM-Newton data and the generation of legacy products for INTEGRAL and XMM-Newton;
• overseeing maintenance and further development of the INTEGRAL Science Legacy Archive (ISLA) and of the XMM-Newton Science Archive (XSA) driven by the needs of the missions’ users and in line with the overall archive developments;
• enabling, in collaboration with the ESAC Science Data Centre, the shaping of a multi-mission, high-energy science archive framework that exploits the synergies between current and future high-energy mission archives, as well as other ESA astronomy mission archives.

Technical competencies

Conducting active research in a relevant field of space science

Experience in defining, setting up and/or operating space science projects

Experience in coordinating internal/external stakeholders on scientific projects

Education

A PhD in astrophysics is required for this post.

Additional requirements

As this post includes the possibility of evolving into coordination and managerial tasks, the potential to manage individuals or a team is required. People management experience is an asset, as is international experience, i.e. outside your home country, as well as experience in diverse functional areas relevant to ESA activities. Experience with high-energy astronomy mission operations, instrument calibration, scientific data processing or science data archives is a further asset.

For more information, please click APPLY

The closing date for applications is 3 April 2023 23:59 CET/CEST

What we offer

A stimulating and inspiring working environment is just one of the benefits of working at ESA . Other advantages include competitive salaries, flexible and teleworking arrangements promoting work-life balance, relocation support and comprehensive health coverage.

Diversity and inclusiveness are at the heart of ESA’s values. 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.