Key Tasks and Responsibilities              

 As part of the Ground System Definition & Verification Office, the postholder will provide support to Earth Observation Projects in the End-to-end (E2E) Mission Performance domain covering both software and algorithm aspects.  

You will have the following responsibilities:

• Technical definition, the procurement and the verification of the E2E Mission Performance Simulator software chain including in particular the Instrument Simulator and the Level 1 Processor Prototype;
• Definition and execution or supervision of activities within and outside ESA to ensure the E2E mission performance, in particular at Level-1;
• Contribute to the activities of the other staff, interfacing with internal (e.g Instrument Engineer, GS Engineer) and external (e.g Industry, Mission Scientist, Level 2 team);
• Contribute to the overall specification of the E2E Mission Performance Simulator chain (from Scene Generation up to Level-2);
• Monitoring the development of the Instrument Simulator Software developed through an ESA contract with industry;
• Monitoring the development of the Level 1 Prototype Processor Software developed through an ESA contract with industry;
• Monitoring the development and the integration of the overall E2E Mission Performance Simulator chain and its components, developed through an ESA contract with industry;
• Reviewing the Level-1 and Instrument Simulator algorithms and input/output interfaces;
• Perform the integration of E2E Mission Performance Simulator chain developed by industry with the L2 scientific components developed by scientists;
• Ensuring that the E2E Mission Performance Simulator chain and its components and algorithms meet the required functionality and performance, taking into account system, instrument, geophysical model and calibration/validation facility aspects;
• Installing, maintaining and operating an up-to-date copy of the E2E Mission Performance Simulator software at ESTEC;
• Analysing impacts on the mission performance resulting from deviations during the development programme;
• Ensuring the proper verification and validation methods are proposed and implemented;
• Supporting Test Data production and verification;
• Supporting the analysis of the data collected during on-ground and in-orbit calibration and characterisation campaigns;
• Developing any needed software tool to support all the mentioned activities;
• Providing necessary inputs for the relevant internal and external meetings.

Skills & Experience

You will have the following qualifications and relevant experience:

• Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in Computer science, Physics or Engineering;
• Very good knowledge of computer environments and software development (Linux, compilers, debuggers, scripting such as python, shell scripts, perl…);
• Knowledge of the Earth Observation (payload data) ground segment, including; processes such as calibration, monitoring routine data processing; processors and facilities; interactions with other stakeholders (FOS, end users);
• Knowledge of data analysis/processing (statistics, error budgets; simulations; data tools);
• Working knowledge on remote sensing techniques;
• Good level of autonomy and organizing skills;
• Fluency in English is mandatory; knowledge of another European language is an advantage.

This job is located in Noordwijk.

If you think you have what it takes for this job, please send your CV (in English and in Word or PDF) to Medina Djakova, by clicking on the button “Apply for this job” quoting job NL-HP-5064.

An exciting and dynamic international working environment awaits you!