Copernicus CRISTAL and Sentinel-3 Next Generation Topography Lead System Engineer - 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:

• Contribute to establishment, consolidation and maintenance of system and space segment requirements derived from mission requirements
• Ensure traceability and monitor implementation and compliance verification of requirements
• Contribute to definition and implementation of mission operations concept
• Support system definition including system architecture and interfaces
• Coordinate overall verification planning, compliance, consistency and traceability
• Support System Manager in interfacing with satellite prime contractor for operations preparation activities, LEOP and commissioning
• Support System Manager and Payload Manager in preparation of Phase E1 commissioning and cal/val plan
• Interface with Flight Operations Segment and Copernicus Ground Segment teams

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline required, or bachelor's degree with additional four years of relevant professional experience
• Experience: Four years of relevant professional experience required (or additional four years if bachelor's degree holder)
• Key skills: Experience in mission and spacecraft systems in multi-institutional environment, Knowledge of all phases of space system development lifecycle, Experience in flight operations and/or ground segment and Phase E1 operations, Experience in LEOP, in-orbit commissioning and in-flight performance verification, Experience in requirements engineering and analytical verification, Technical budget definition and maintenance, Experience in management and monitoring of industrial activities, Participation in reviews, Strong problem-solving skills, Planning and organisational skills

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: Fixed-term appointment with initial duration of 4 years, may be extended up to possible maximum duration of 8 years.

Hiring unit: Earth Observation Projects Department, Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes.

Position details

Reference

1438428633

Last Verified

18 September 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Copernicus CRISTAL and Sentinel-3 Next Generation Topography Lead System Engineer at ESA based in Noordwijk (Other). The vacancy reference is 1438428633.

Job Requisition ID:20897

Date Posted:18 September 2026

Closing Date:9 October 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication:Internal & External

Directorate:Earth Observation Programmes

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This is a fixed-term appointment with an initial duration of 4 years. Depending upon performance and organisational needs, the appointment may be extended up to a possible maximum duration of 8 years.

Location ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Description

Lead System Engineer for the Copernicus CRISTAL and Sentinel-3 Next Generation Topography (S3 NGT) altimetry missions in the Copernicus Space Segment Programme within the Earth Observation Projects Department, Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes.

The assignment covers the activities relating to Phases D/E1 of the CRISTAL satellites and Phases B2/C/D/E1 of the Sentinel-3 Next Generation Topography satellites.

You will report to the relevant System Managers for all technical matters and will work within the relevant project teams. You will contribute to the establishment and maintenance of the system and space segment requirements derived from the mission requirements, ensuring their traceability and monitoring their implementation and compliance verification. You will support the definition, preparation and execution of operations during all phases, up to and including in-orbit commissioning (end of Phase E1). In coordination with the System Managers, you will interface with the Flight Operations Segment and the Copernicus Ground Segment to ensure proper coordination regarding operations and ground segment matters. You will collaborate within the project teams and will benefit from specialist technical support from the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality (D/TEC).

Duties

Your main tasks and responsibilities will be adapted to each project and will include:

- contributing to the establishment, consolidation and maintenance of the system and space segment requirements derived from the mission requirements, ensuring their traceability and monitoring their implementation and compliance verification; - contributing to the definition and implementation of the mission operations concept to be used in support of the space segment design and in-orbit commissioning; - supporting to system definition (system architecture and interfaces) and the associated mission analysis, ensuring compliance with space segment system and operations interface requirements; - coordinating the overall verification planning, compliance, consistency and traceability between mission requirements and space segment system requirements by coordinating any potential support from the rest of the project teams or from other departments/directorates; - supporting the System Manager in interfacing with the satellite prime contractor to follow the operations preparation activities, including LEOP and commissioning, as well as the functional validation activities; - supporting the System Manager and the Payload Manager in the preparation of the Phase E1 commissioning and cal/val plan and the implementation of the Phase E1 commissioning and cal/val activities; - interfacing with the Flight Operations Segment and Copernicus Ground Segment teams, external institutional partners, such as EUMETSAT and NASA, and other partners, for example calibration/validation teams, to coordinate the definition and implementation of the on-ground system validation test and the Phase E1 in-flight commissioning verification activities; - interfacing with the Mission Scientists for the maintenance and evolution of mission requirements; - supporting the System Managers in reporting the system-related aspects of the mission to the Mission Advisory Groups; - supporting the preparation and organisation of major project reviews; - contributing to the management of the overall schedule, including identification and follow-up of schedule risk mitigation actions; - contributing to the project reporting and risk management activities, providing regular reporting to the System Managers on all relevant aspects, identifying and anticipating technical risks and problem areas and proposing and monitoring mitigation measures; - acting as Deputy System Manager as required, taking responsibility for relevant technical and programmatic tasks and acting on the System Manager’s behalf vis-a-vis industry, the Ground and Flight Operations Segment and external partners; - coordinating specialist engineering support from the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

The tasks and activities assigned may vary between CRISTAL and Sentinel-3 NGT, depending on the phase and the organisation of the project team. Your duties may also include supporting other activities within your field of competence.

Technical competencies

Experience in mission and spacecraft systems in a multi-institutional environment

Knowledge of all phases of the space system development lifecycle, including satellite systems, ground segment architecture and launch segment

Experience in flight operations and/or ground segment and Phase E1 operations, including LEOP, in-orbit commissioning and in-flight performance verification

Experience in requirements engineering and analytical verification, as well as technical budget definition and maintenance

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

Behavioural competencies

Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline is required for this post, together with four years of relevant professional experience. Alternatively, candidates with a bachelor’s degree, complemented by an additional four years of relevant professional experience, may be considered.

Additional requirements

- Strong problem-solving skills to deal with day-to-day operational challenges, together with demonstrated planning and organisational skills; - A strong result orientation with the ability to set priorities and present practical solutions both orally and in writing; - The ability to manage challenging situations proactively and constructively and to be customer-focused.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 18 September 2026, 2 days ago.

The application deadline is 9 October 2026, 18 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 18 September 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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