Avionics and Software 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 we 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 with resident assignment at ESRIN, Frascati, Italy.

Description

You will work in the Flight Software Systems Section, a group of about 30 highly motivated experts in embedded software for space systems. The Section provides technical support for the development and functional verification and validation of the on-board software for all missions and satellites at ESA, in domains such as space science, human and robotic exploration, Earth observation, telecommunications and integrated applications, navigation, space transportation, space engineering and technology, operations and space safety. The Section contributes to the success of ESA missions such as Rosetta, Galileo, Juice, Sentinel Earth observation missions, meteorological missions and many others.

 

The Section is also responsible for defining, initiating and managing technology research and development (R&D) activities in its field of expertise to ensure that future missions use state-of-the-art technologies in an efficient manner to guarantee the quality necessary for space systems and to enable increased functionality subject to the appropriate verifications, covering areas such as software verification and validation methods and processes, modern software architectures and frameworks, new-generation processors and model-based engineering. The Section also participates actively in standardisation activities by influencing the evolution of the various applicable standards and ensuring their proper application across ESA projects.

 

As a first assignment, you will provide support as Avionics and Software Engineer to the Vega and Space Rider development programmes, Flight Programmes Department, Directorate of Space Transportation and will report to the Vega and Space Rider Avionics, GNC and Software Manager. The Section, composed of a small group of experienced engineers in the domain of European space transportation, is responsible for all developments carried out in respect of the avionics, electronic flight hardware and harness, software and guidance, navigation and control algorithmic aspects for the different programmes and for all the phases of the project, from initial trade-off to recurrent production, covering Vega, Vega-C exploitation, Vega-E and future launcher developments, Space Rider Orbital and the Re-entry vehicle.

Duties

During your initial assignment reporting to STS-PVA, you will be responsible for all Vega family (Vega, Vega-C and Vega-E) and Space Rider technical activities in the areas of flight software (FSW) and on-board computer (OBC) development, including hardware-dependent interfaces and all the related tools.

 

In respect of avionics, you will support the operations aspects in the area of vehicle assembly, and in integration and testing (AIT). The range of activities encompasses the production of Vega and Vega-C and the development of Vega-E and Space Rider.

 

In particular, your duties will include: 

• managing the technical activities within the Vega family and Space Rider programme framework: definition of the technical requirements specifications, architecture and interfaces with other subsystems and design definition, development, validation and qualification relevant to the Vega family and Space Rider software;
• apportioning technical requirements from system level to the software and the on-board computer, defining the relevant internal and external interface specifications;
• contributing to the Vega family and Space Rider verification and validation strategy within your area of responsibility (FSW and OBC) in coordination with the system and avionics, including simulation and test facilities, such as SWIL and HWIL test campaigns;
• technical supervision of the software aspects relating to the exploitation of the Vega family, in particular for the mission acceptance process, providing support to the process of flight anomalies and non-conformances, assessment of requests for waiver or deviations, and monitoring of the change proposal process and impacts on the Vega family launcher qualification status;
• monitoring the Vega family and Space Rider OBC/OBDH manufacturing and acceptance, ensuring in particular the com