Junior Spacecraft Operations Engineer

Package Description

What we offer if you join our amazing team:

• Competitive Salary 

• Corporate Benefits Package 

• Company events

Job Introduction

We have an exciting (and challenging) opening for a Junior Spacecraft Operations Engineer in Darmstadt. 

Dynamic, Energetic, Entrepreneurial, Highly Motivated, Resilient … If this describes you then we would love to hear from you :) Come and join talented diverse Serco team at the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) based in Darmstadt, Germany. 

Discover the offer below and click on ‘Apply’ if you know that your skillset and talents are a suitable match for this opportunity.

• Serco – The employer of choice for a career within the Space Sector.

Serco are a trusted provider of services to National Space Agencies and the European Space Agency (ESA), we have over 40 years’ experience supporting the space sector and providing services for all stages of our customer’s space missions.

• Join our community of space specialists across Europe

We are proud to support the European institutional Space landscape: Serco boasts an extensive network of Space professionals located at our offices in Darmstadt, Noordwijk, Frascati, Paris and Madrid, all within close proximity of our two largest space sector customers, European Space Agency/European Space Operations Centre (ESA/ESOC) and European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).

• Supporting Women in Aerospace

Diversity and Inclusion is extremely important to us. Supporting women's opportunities, development and visibility in the space sector is key and that is why we are proud members and supporters of Women in Aerospace Europe, a dynamic and global network supporting women's careers in Aerospace.

Women in Aerospace Europe (WIA-E) – Supporting women in STEM (wia-europe.org)    

Main Responsibilities

We are looking for a talented and motivated Junior engineer to join our Copernicus SOE team. The position offers the opportunity to support the Sentinel 6 satellites with routine operations and preparation for follow-up satellite launches. We are particularly looking for candidates with a couple of years of proven operations experience and engineering support, alongside good programming skills and the ability to learn quickly and work well-in a team in a fast-paced operations environment.

The main activities comprise:

Operations:

• Prepare for, and execute all relevant Copernicus Sentinel routine operations in a SCOS2000 environment, as well as preparing for the recurrent satellite handover activities;
• Perform the maintenance, validation and documentation of the space segment assets update;
• Interface with all other flight operations teams such as the MCS, mission planning, FDF, but also with external operational entities or services;
• Operate all satellite and FOS/PDGS/PDAB components aspects related to operations engineering for the platform, payload and instrument, including data handling, instrument parameter, OBSW maintenance, as well as FDIR and OPS security aspects;
• Plan and schedule the satellite operations in coordination with the others teams;
• Continuous monitoring of Spacecraft performance and status;
• Participate to anomaly investigation and resolution;
• Reporting and analysis of the satellite system performance;
• Proficiency training of the Engineers using the space and ground segment simulators;
• Ensure the on-call operations engineer rota, such that safe and efficient operations are ensured by the Spacecraft Operations Team on a 24/7 basis

Operations preparations:

• Requirements analysis and concept development;
• Mission operations data production;
• Mission operations data validation;
• Operations team’s build‐ up and training;
• Operational validation;
• Operational configuration management;
• Operations execution (support to LEOP, commissioning, handover and routine phase operations)

Successful Candidate

Do you think you are the person we are looking for? See below what experience or knowledge you should bring:

• Minimum 2 years’ experience in Spacecraft Operations - preferably on Low Earth Orbit (LEO) spacecraft, and responsibility for one or more platform subsystems, commissioning or routine operations phases;
• Experience in satellite performance monitoring and reporting aspects including anomaly analysis and solving in liaison with satellite industry, procedure change control and configuration management processes;
• Experience in the operation of satellite ground segment facilities, in particular procedure development, monitor and control, mission planning, on-board software management, performance analysis, configuration management and simulator facilities;
• Advantageous: Experience of Spacecraft Operations Preparation preferably on Low Earth Orbit (LEO), with responsibility on development and validation of operational baseline (procedures, database etc.) including validation tools (e.g. S/C simulator) and ground segment M&C facilities;
• Knowledge of mission control systems (particularly SCOS-2000);
• Knowledge of relevant Standards and Protocols (CCSDS and ECSS);
• Programming/Scripting skills with languages such as Python, Matlab, SQL/MYSQL,..
• Ability to work independently as well as good communication skills;
• Fluency in English

About the Company

Why should you join Serco ?

At Serco not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play.

Meaningful and vital work - You’ll contribute to methodologically intercepting challenges whilst achievements will also be recognised and celebrated.

A world of opportunity - You’ll be wholeheartedly supported with development and career progression

Great people - You’ll become an integral member of a well-defined and supportive team who believe passionately in the value of our work. We are a company passionate about diversity and inclusion. 

About Serco

Serco provides the User Helpdesk and Data Centre Operations Service of the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), which plays a key role in enhancing the use of EUMETSAT data, products and data services.

The main objective of the service is to ensure effective and user-driven service to support the provision of data, both real-time and offline, as well as to provide comprehensive technical information to support all forms of user enquiries relating both to current operational services and to future satellite programmes of EUMETSAT.

Important:

Any offer of employment is contingent upon you providing documents to verify your identity and employment eligibility, as required by law.

Applicants are reminded that they will be requested to produce such documentation during the recruitment process.

Please contact a member of the recruitment team if you require further details of acceptable types of documentation required for verification of identity and work authorization. 

Data Protection:

For more information on how the personal data in your application is process, please see the link Data Protection policy here.