Ground Segment Product Assurance & Safety Manager (multiple positions)

Ground Segment Product Assurance & Safety Manager (multiple positions)

Job Requisition ID: 20625

Date Posted: 2 June 2026

Closing Date: 23 June :59 CET/CEST

Publication: Internal & External

Type of Appointment: 4 years, extendable to indefinite

Directorate: Technology, Engineering and Quality

Workplace: Toulouse, France

Grade Band: A2 - A4

Location

1 position at ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

1 position at ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands with a resident assignment to Toulouse (France)

Description

The recruitment is for one position based in Noordwijk, Netherlands, and one position linked to the ESTEC Noordwijk establishment with a resident assignment in Toulouse, France. Ground Segment Product Assurance and Safety (PA&S) Manager in the Product Assurance and Safety Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

After an initial period of training and familiarisation with the Department's mandate, processes and procedures, you will be assigned as support for the Directorate of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity (D/RNC) and will report to the Head of the Directorate’s Product Assurance and Safety Office for the specific responsibilities and duties outlined below.

You will join a team of PA&S specialists delivering support to the ground segments on a wide range of current and future D/RNC programmes, in close cooperation with the technical teams of those programmes. You will contribute your PA&S expertise to ground segment and software engineering processes and to overall verification and validation activities. The support you provide will encompass the use of classical methodologies and development methods as well as more modern development practices (such as Agile or IA-based practices), depending on the context of the programme (ranging from project demonstrators to operational systems subject to strict safety and security requirements).

For the maintenance of professional standards, the implementation of ESA's general PA&S policy and contributions to corporate tasks (such as reviews, standardisation, alerts, lessons learned, etc.), you will report to the Head of the Product Assurance and Safety Department through the Head of the D/RNC Product Assurance and Safety Office.

Duties

• Establish and maintain the PA&S requirements baseline for ground segments in compliance with ESA’s general PA&S policy.
• Review contractors’ plans, specifications and effort proposed for the implementation of the project’s PA&S programme.
• Guide and monitor the implementation of PA&S requirements by contractors to assess performance/effectiveness, participating in design reviews and directing necessary preventive or corrective actions.
• Represent ESA in the Boards established within the project for the disposition of non-conformances/failure reviews, test reviews, etc.
• Ensure the implementation of the software PA and software configuration management requirements baseline for ground segments.
• Monitor the integration and test activities with test-witnessing, mandatory and key inspection points, configuration inspections and quality assurance audits.
• Support the definition of the formal acceptance requirements and the conducting of acceptance reviews of all assigned contractual deliverables.
• Ensure preparation of design trade-offs, analyses and reports using RAMS data to support project decisions.
• Support security activities for ground segments as appropriate.
• Support implementation and maintenance of the D/RNC Quality Management System.
• Support the establishment and implementation of standards and best practices in the field of PA&S.
• Participate in Agency-level project reviews as well as project internal reviews.
• Contribute to the transfer of technical knowledge and lessons learned across the Agency.

In addition to your project responsibilities, you will support, as necessary, the D/RNC PA&S Office activities, including improvement initiatives and coordination meetings.

Your duties may also include supporting other activities within your field of expertise.

Technical competencies

• Knowledge of PA&S and quality management disciplines.
• Experience in the management of Product Assurance for a large ground segment project.
• Experience in software engineering and knowledge of computer software.
• Experience in the implementation of software development methodologies and tools.
• Experience in the management and monitoring of industrial activities, including participation in reviews.
• Experience with relevant space and aeronautics quality standards and their implementation (such as ECSS, DO-178C or DO-278A).
• Experience with the application of product assurance tools and methods.

Behavioural competencies

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

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook.

Education And Professional Experience

A master's degree in a relevant domain is required for this post together with a minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience.

Additional Requirements

• Background in ground/space systems.
• Experience in the security domain would be considered an asset.
• Experience in Agile development and the SAFe framework would be considered an asset.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness

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, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. 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.

Important Information and Disclaimer

In principle, recruitment will be within the advertised grade band (A2‑A4). However, if the selected candidate has less than four years of relevant professional experience following the completion of the master’s degree, the position may be filled at A1 level.

Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or U.S. export control and sanctions regulations and security clearance by their national security administrations.

During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency’s security procedures.

Note that ESA is in the process of transitioning to a Matrix setup, which could lead to organisational changes affecting this position.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

Nationality and Languages

Applications are considered only from nationals of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Canada, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.

According to the ESA Convention, staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, taking into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the Member States.

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.