Shoot for the moon! ESA recruits for its Moonlight initiative
ESA’s campaign to recruit over 300 new staff members is well underway and we are excited to announce the publication of new vacancies for ESA’s pioneering project, Moonlight. This is a world-first initiative that will enable private space firms in Europe and Canada to offer a lunar telecommunications and navigation service by creating a constellation of satellites around the moon. Are you ready to shoot for the moon and join this groundbreaking programme?
Moonlight’s telecommunication and navigation service is due to launch in 2027 and the team is ready to expand as it moves into its next stages. The projected benefits of Moonlight (to name just a few) include enabling new types of lunar missions, establishing Europe as a leader in the emerging space economy and connecting astronauts with Earth, making this an exceptional opportunity to be a part of something truly groundbreaking. Check out the newly published vacancies for Moonlight below – and we look forward to receiving your application!
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Navigation Principal System Engineer
Location: ESTEC, Noordwijk, the Netherlands with resident assignment at ECSAT, Harwell, UK
You will join ESA’s Commercial User Segment and Navigation System Validation Section, which provides functional support to ESA projects, and you will report to both the head of this section and to the Moonlight NAV Manager. You will initially be based at ECSAT, where you will lead the Moonlight end-to-end navigation chain system engineering activities, including design, development and qualification, as well as on-ground and in-orbit validation and deployment throughout the space, Earth, ground and user segments.
A Master’s in telecommunications engineering, navigation, computer science or aerospace is required for this post.
Click here for more information and to apply. Deadline: 18 August 2023
Lunar Communication and Navigation System (LCNS) Ground Segment and Operations Manager
Location: ECSAT, Harwell, United Kingdom
Your role within the Moonlight Programme will be to manage the cross-functional, cross-directorate ground segment team and to manage the overall ground segment and operations activities of the Moonlight/LCNS partnership project. You will be responsible for ground segment requirements and specifications, design drivers, technical and performance indicators and operational concepts.
You will take a leading role in monitoring industrial activities related to the ground segment and coordinate closely with industry teams. Internally to ESA, you will liaise closely with multiple managers and directorates working on the Moonlight Programme.
To apply, you must have a Master's degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant engineering discipline.
Click here for more information and to apply. Deadline: 27 August 2023
LCNS Platform Principal Engineer
Location: ECSAT, Harwell, United Kingdom
If you have experience with satellite engineering and are familiar with ESA and industrial development, verification and procurement processes for satellite platforms, you could be the perfect fit for this position with the Moonlight Programme. In this role, you will lead the overall COM and NAV satellite platforms activities of the Moonlight/LCNS partnership project. You will be responsible for the satellite platforms engineering aspects, requirements and specifications, budgets, design drivers and internal and external platform interfaces.
You will work closely with industry teams, evaluating and supporting them for satellites platform subsystem developments, as well as other industry developments in technology and products.
To apply, you must have a Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
Click here for more information and to apply. Deadline: 27 August 2023
Navigation Payload Principal Engineer
Location: ESTEC, Noordwijk, the Netherlands
As the Navigation Payload Principal Engineer, your primary assignment will be to provide support to the Moonlight/LCNS (Lunar Communication Navigation Service) Programme as Moonlight NAV Payload Principal Engineer. For this main task, you will work under the coordination of the Moonlight NAV Manager, who is responsible for all Navigation-related aspects of the Moonlight Programme activities. For this primary task, you will be formally integrated in the Moonlight Project Team (based at ECSAT, Harwell), reporting there to the Moonlight Space Segment Manager on a day-to-day basis.
To apply, you must have a Master's degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant engineering discipline.
Click here for more information and to apply. Deadline: 31 August 2023
Product Assurance and Safety Manager
Location: ESTEC, Noordwijk, the Netherlands with resident assignment at ECSAT, Harwell, UK
You will be assigned as integrated support from the Product Assurance and Safety (PA&S) Department to work in the Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communication as the Moonlight/LCNS Product Assurance and Safety Manager. You will be based at ECSAT, Harwell, United Kingdom for the duration of the project. Part of your duties will be to guide the definition and maintenance of the industry-tailored PA&S requirements baseline in compliance with the relevant requirements of the Moonlight/LCNS statement of work and overall approach, which provides for a public-private partnership arrangement, and with the general ESA PA&S policy.
To apply, you must have a Master's degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant engineering discipline.
Click here for more information and to apply. Deadline: 27 August 2023
LCNS Space Segment Manager
Location: ECSAT, Harwell, United Kingdom
You will be responsible for the management of the overall space segment activities and associated launch services of the Moonlight/LCNS partnership project. Your associated duties will include managing the cross-functional and cross-directorate joint LCNS Space Segment team, managing the space segment adaptation/development and acting as the focal point for the follow up of industrial activities, including industry level reviews, in relation to the space segment.
To apply, you must have a Master's degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant engineering discipline.
Click here for more information and to apply. Deadline: 27 August 2023
Who can apply?
ESA vacancies are open to citizens of ESA Member, Associate and Cooperating States.
Qualities that we look for in our future team members are team spirit, forward thinking, result orientation and enthusiasm for working in an international and multicultural environment. Find more detailed information on who we are looking for here.
We recruit – and not only astronauts!
If you are interested in a career at ESA but did not find the right fit in these vacancies, you can browse other ESA job opportunities on our recruitment site – and remember there are many more opportunities to come in 2023. Set up a job alert to get notified when a vacancy matching your profile is published and subscribe to our careers news so that you never miss an opportunity to join us at ESA!
