Copernicus Sentinel-2 NG Lead Instrument End-to-End Data Chain 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:

• Manage industrial activities by supervising specification, design, procurement, development and verification/acceptance of instrument end-to-end data chain hardware and software
• Lead instrument end-to-end data chain requirements, specifications, technical budgets, design drivers, and architectural trade-offs
• Monitor industrial progress and design evolution at instrument data chain subsystem and equipment levels
• Monitor instrument end-to-end data chain and relevant technology development roadmaps
• Monitor industrial verification activities and resolve non-conformances
• Provide regular reporting to project management and identify technical risk areas
• Contribute to management of schedule and propose schedule optimisation and risk mitigation actions
• Coordinate instrument end-to-end data chain AIV activities and support spacecraft AIV activities

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline, or bachelor's degree complemented by an additional four (4) years of relevant professional experience
• Experience: 4 years of relevant professional experience in end-to-end data chain subsystems, design, development, integration, verification, characterisation and testing of high-performance onboard data acquisition, processing and control systems for optical space-borne instruments, managing technical interfaces between subsystems, project risk management, space system development and engineering, and produc…
• Key skills: Multidisciplinary technical knowledge in end-to-end data chain subsystems, Design, development, integration, verification, characterisation and testing of high-performance onboard data acquisition, processing and control systems for optical space-borne instruments, Managing technical interfaces between subsystems within ESA project team environment or with industrial consortium, Project risk management processes, Industrial costs and schedule management, Space system development and engineering and product assurance standards, Extensive knowledge of analogue and digital electronic system architectures

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: 4 years, with possible extension up to a maximum duration of 8 years.

Working arrangements: ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands.

Hiring unit: Payload Management Section, Copernicus S2 and S2 Next Generation Project, Copernicus Space Segment Programme, Projects….

Position details

Reference

1407842133

Last Verified

7 August 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Copernicus Sentinel-2 NG Lead Instrument End-to-End Data Chain Engineer at ESA based in Noordwijk (Other). The vacancy reference is 1407842133.

Job Requisition ID:20677

Date Posted:6 August 2026

Closing Date:6 September 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

Copernicus Sentinel-2 NG Lead Instrument End-to-End Data Chain Engineer in the Payload Management Section, Copernicus S2 and S2 Next Generation Project, Copernicus Space Segment Programme, Projects Department, Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes.

The Sentinel-2 Next Generation (S2 NG) mission will ensure enhanced continuity of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 first-generation measurements into the 2030s. The project has completed its Phase A/B1 and is entering the Phase B2/C/D implementation phase.

In that context, you will serve as Lead Instrument End-to-End Data Chain Engineer for the Copernicus S2 NG mission.

You will report to the S2 NG Payload Manager for all technical and programmatic matters and will work within the relevant project team.

You will be responsible for the procurement and timely delivery of the S2 NG instrument data chain subsystems, including the front-end electronics, data processing units and instrument control unit, during Phase B2/C/D/E1.

You will work in close cooperation with other engineers within the S2NG project and will coordinate specialised technical support from the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality (D/TEC).

You will also support additional Copernicus projects featuring optical instruments, such as LSTM and/or CHIME.

Duties

Under the supervision of the Payload Manager, you will bear technical responsibility for the delivery of the end-to-end data chain subsystems of the overall S2 NG optical instrument.

Your responsibilities will include the supervision of the design, development, manufacturing, integration, verification, test and characterisation of the instrument end-to-end data chain elements. These encompass analogue-to-digital converters, high-speed memories and optical/electrical interconnects, advanced digital processing architectures implementing complex, high-throughput, real-time image data pre-processing and reduction functions, and instrument control electronics.

As part of the project team, you will cooperate with the other elements of the system, supported as required by experts from D/TEC, in the relevant engineering domains.

Your main tasks and responsibilities will include:

- managing the industrial activities by supervising the specification, design, procurement, development and verification/acceptance of instrument end-to-end data chain hardware and software, including coordination across functional teams and end-user organisations/operators throughout the project lifetime, from the procurement tender to in-flight commissioning; - leading the instrument end-to-end data chain requirements and specifications, technical budgets, design drivers, architectural trade-offs, internal and external payload interfaces, spacecraft-level payload performance and operational concepts relating for example to instrument modes, commanding and synchronisation, including their consistency with the mission requirements, specifications and technical budgets; - monitoring the industrial progress and design evolution at instrument data chain subsystem and equipment levels, ensuring it remains consistent with the technical and programmatic requirements; - monitoring the instrument end-to-end data chain and relevant technology development roadmaps as necessary; - monitoring the industrial verification activities to ensure proper verification, including resolving non-conformances and supporting the assessment of deviations and waivers; - providing regular reporting to project management and identifying technical risk areas, proposing and monitoring mitigation measures; - contributing to the management of the schedule and proposing schedule optimisation and risk mitigation actions; - coordinating the instrument end-to-end data chain AIV activities and supporting the spacecraft AIV activities, including validation of instrument operational modes and control functions, the preparation of the launch campaign and the in-orbit commissioning of the instrument; - delegated responsibility from project and/or payload management on programmatic aspects as necessary; - leading a team of engineers and specialised engineering support from D/TEC and the Directorate of Operations (D/OPS).

You will also support additional Copernicus optical projects by contributing to a subset of the activities and responsibilities outlined above.

Technical competencies

Multidisciplinary technical knowledge and experience in your area of responsibility, in particular in relation to end-to-end data chain subsystems

Knowledge of and experience in the design, development, integration, verification, characterisation and testing of high-performance onboard data acquisition, processing and control systems for optical space-borne instruments

Experience of managing technical interfaces between subsystems within ESA project team environment or with the industrial consortium

Knowledge of and experience in project risk management processes, industrial costs and schedule aspects

Knowledge of and experience in space system development and engineering and product assurance standards

Behavioural competencies

Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline 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 (4) years of relevant professional experience can be considered.

Additional requirements

Extensive knowledge of analogue and digital electronic system architectures, including their breakdown into hardware, firmware and software items, is considered an asset.

Application timeline

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

The application deadline is 6 September 2026, 29 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 Noordwijk see our Noordwijk 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.