AOCS and Pointing Systems Engineer (3 Positions) - European Space Agency (Noordwijk)

About this position

The summary below is published by European Space Agency on the official vacancy notice. Our own analysis — salary realism, comparable openings, career trajectory, language profile — follows further down the page.

Key responsibilities

According to the vacancy notice, the role centres on the following duties:

• Provide expert technical support and consultancy to ESA projects, programmes and general studies in AOCS and pointing systems
• Participate in feasibility studies, project reviews and evaluation of procurement proposals
• Identify critical development problems and assist in their resolution
• Contribute to definition of technology development requirements and work plans for the Agency's technology programmes
• Define, initiate and manage R&D activities covering long- and short-term needs
• Foster new application areas for multidisciplinary activities with emphasis on innovative concepts and cutting-edge technologies
• Conduct laboratory activities for testing AOCS products and evaluation and prototyping of new AOCS solutions
• Monitor applicable scientific and technological trends and maintain state-of-the-art expertise

Are you eligible?

Check these requirements from the notice before investing time in an application:

• Education: Master's degree in control engineering and/or aerospace engineering
• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience; at least five years' experience in development of satellite AOCS subsystems and procurement engineering of AOCS hardware units
• Key skills: AOCS subsystem architecture, design, testing and verification, Control algorithm design and tuning, analysis and simulation, AOCS modelling and software, including automatic code generation, Pointing error engineering, Advanced control, optimisation and estimation techniques, Smallsat and nanosat AOCS, Laboratory facility or hands-on hardware experience, Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques for AOCS applications

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: 4 years, extendable to indefinite duration; or fixed-term appointment of 4 years extendable up to maximum total duration of 8 years.

Hiring unit: AOCS and Pointing Architecture Section, GNC, AOCS and Pointing Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technolo….

Position details

Reference

1411442433

Last Verified

24 July 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for AOCS and Pointing Systems Engineer (3 Positions) at ESA based in Noordwijk (Other). The vacancy reference is 1411442433.

Job Requisition ID:20731

Closing Date:14 August 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication:Internal & External

Directorate:Technology, Engineering and Quality

Location

ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

This vacancy is published to recruit for either: an appointment of 4 years, extendable to an indefinite duration; or a fixed-term appointment with an initial duration of 4 years that depending on performance and organisational needs, may be extended up to a maximum total duration of 8 years.

## Description

AOCS and Pointing Systems Engineer in the AOCS and Pointing Architecture Section, GNC, AOCS and Pointing Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

The AOCS and Pointing Architecture Section provides functional support for space missions in the domains of Earth observation, science, and resilience, navigation and connectivity.

The Section carries out technological research and development, harmonisation and standardisation in the field of AOCS and pointing, with a focus on subsystem competitiveness, improvement and innovation for performance, robustness, autonomy and process.

## Duties

Reporting to the Head of Section, within the technical fields described above, your main tasks and responsibilities will include:

* providing expert technical support and consultancy to ESA projects, programmes and general studies in the field of AOCS and pointing systems (AOCS architecture design and verification, including AOCS applicative software and FDIR, as well as AOCS equipment procurement) throughout all project phases; * participating in feasibility studies, project reviews and the evaluation of procurement proposals; * identifying critical development problems and assisting in their resolution; * contributing to the definition of technology development requirements and work plans for the Agency’s technology programmes; * defining, initiating and managing R&D activities covering both long- and short- term needs and addressing AOCS-enabling and -enhancing concepts and advanced control techniques; * fostering new application areas for multidisciplinary activities, placing emphasis on innovative concepts, cutting-edge technologies and system architectures; * laboratory activities for the testing of AOCS products and the evaluation and prototyping of new AOCS solutions; * monitoring applicable scientific and technological trends and maintaining state-of-the-art expertise; * contributing to the dissemination of the results of the activities performed and the transfer of knowledge across the Agency.

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

## Technical competencies

General background and specific experience in the technical domains covered by the position

Hands-on experience

Understanding of related technologies, R&D trends and the industrial landscape

Project support experience in a relevant domain

Experience in the management and monitoring of industrial activities, including participation in reviews

## Behavioural competencies

## Education and professional experience

A master's degree in control engineering and/or aerospace engineering is required for this post together with a minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience.

## Additional requirements

You should have at least five years' experience in the development of satellite AOCS subsystems and in the procurement engineering of a range of AOCS hardware units. Preference will be given to those with expertise in two or more of the following areas relating to the position:

* AOCS subsystem architecture, design, testing and verification, including control algorithm design and tuning, analysis and simulation * AOCS modelling and software, including automatic code generation, hardware and spacecraft avionics * Pointing error engineering * Advanced control, optimisation and estimation techniques * Smallsat and nanosat AOCS * Laboratory facility or hands-on hardware (including integration) experience * Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques for AOCS applications and engineering

Your motivation for supporting engineering laboratory activities and for proposing new R&D activities will be considered in the selection process.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 6 July 2026, 20 days ago.

The application deadline is 14 August 2026, 17 days from today. Late applications are not accepted, so submit through the official EU Careers portal well in advance.

Last verified against the EU Careers feed on 24 July 2026 (2 days ago).

Where to learn more

For headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at ESA see the ESA institution page; for the cost of living, correction coefficient, and other postings in Noordwijk see our Noordwijk location page.

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