Commercialisation Officer (2 Posts) - European Space Agency (Harwell)

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:

• Daily technical and project management of assigned ESA Commercialisation Network partners (BICs, Phi-Labs, ESA Technology Brokers, ESA Business Accelerators)
• Oversee portfolio of commercialisation activities supported by Network partners and ScaleUp Marketplace
• Interface with local business partners, local authorities and government agencies
• Chair selection boards for startups and project activities
• Contract management of assigned Network partners including quarterly reports, yearly reviews, and deliverables
• Strengthen assigned Network partner activities and set up new activities
• Support new procurements and amend current contracts
• Coordinate with national delegations on stakeholder meetings and commercialisation activities

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Master's degree in technology and innovation required; alternatively, bachelor's degree with additional four years of relevant professional experience
• Experience: 4 years of relevant professional experience (with master's degree); or 8 years of relevant professional experience (with bachelor's degree)
• Key skills: Knowledge of business management in innovation-related processes, Knowledge of stakeholder management, Knowledge of technical domains and related R&D space industry trends, Knowledge of space system development, Good interpersonal and communication skills, Ability to work autonomously and cooperatively in diverse, international team environment, Ability to chair evaluation boards effectively, Analytical skills, Organisational skills, Reporting skills including KPI and trend reporting through statistical analyses

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.

Working arrangements: ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands or ECSAT, Harwell, United Kingdom.

Hiring unit: Commercialisation and Industry Partnership, ScaleUp Programme Division.

Position details

Reference

1423925433

Last Verified

7 August 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Commercialisation Officer (2 Posts) at ESA based in Harwell (Other). The vacancy reference is 1423925433.

Job Requisition ID:20756

Date Posted:6 August 2026

Closing Date:27 August 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication:Internal & External

Directorate:Commercialisation and Industry Partnership

Workplace: Noordwijk, NL Harwell, GB

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.

Location

ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands or ECSAT, Harwell, United Kingdom.

Description

Reporting to a Head of Section within the ScaleUp Programme Division, you will be responsible for guiding the development and growth of commercial businesses in the European space economy. This will be achieved with the help of a network of ESA Commercialisation Network partners (local administrators), who execute commercialisation support activities on behalf of the Agency. You will be part of a team which supervises, coordinates and expands this network in ESA’s Member States and internationally.

Duties

Daily technical and project management of assigned ESA Commercialisation Network partners, currently comprising ESA Business Incubation Centres (BICs), Phi-Labs (Phi-LabNet), ESA Technology Brokers, and ESA Business Accelerators, which are established in ESA Member States in agreement with national delegates;

- Overseeing a portfolio of commercialisation activities that are supported by the Network partners and also through the ScaleUp Marketplace. This will involve interfacing daily with local business partners, local authorities and government agencies, and chairing selection boards for startups and project activities in accordance with the Directorate’s best practices; - Contract management of assigned Network partners, including obtaining quarterly reports, holding yearly reviews, and obtaining required deliverables; - Strengthening assigned Network partner activities and setting up new activities, supporting new procurements and amending current contracts as required, ensuring that a broad range of technical, business and investment support is available to companies supported through the Network; - Working in coordination with national delegations to ensure that locally-driven stakeholder meetings lead to strong and sustained commercialisation activities, and implementing and streamlining a development pathway for selected businesses that takes advantage of other ESA technical and commercialisation support; - Developing personal expertise and leadership in the evolution of the space business ecosystem in one or more European regions in order to contribute to a European industrial development strategy; - Acting as a spokesperson and voice of ESA’s strategy in your areas of expertise and responsibility.

Technical competencies

Knowledge of business management in innovation-related processes

Knowledge of stakeholder management

Knowledge of technical domains and related R&D space industry trends

Technical domains, in particular space system development

Behavioural competencies

Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in technology and innovation is required for this post together with 4 years of relevant professional experience. Alternatively, candidates with a bachelor’s degree, complemented by an additional four (8) years of relevant professional experience can be considered.

Additional requirements

You possess good interpersonal and communication skills. You can work autonomously, effectively, and cooperatively in a diverse, international team environment and are able to chair evaluation boards effectively.

In addition, you have demonstrated analytical, organisational, and reporting skills. The latter includes the ability to report on KPIs and trends through statistical analyses. Hence, a good understanding of such principles and tools is an advantage, as is a proactive attitude to solving problems and an interest in innovative technologies and innovation in general. Experience in business-driven innovation programmes, such as Business Incubation Centres, technology transfer and technology commercialisation programmes, is considered an asset.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 7 August 2026, today.

The application deadline is 27 August 2026, 19 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 7 August 2026.

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 Harwell see our Harwell location page.

New to EU careers? Our beginner's guide walks through entry routes, EPSO competitions, and what to prepare. For application logistics see application tips and EPSO competitions.