Earth Observation Future Missions Optical Payload Engineer - Emerging Sensing Technologies - 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:

• Identify and investigate new observation principles and techniques related to emerging sensing technologies for EO future missions
• Maintain knowledge of relevant emerging sensing technology and sensor development programmes inside and outside ESA
• Maintain awareness of relevant emerging sensing technology R&D and coordinate with other ESA directorates
• Define and assess the performance and technological readiness of new emerging sensing payloads and systems
• Define, negotiate, initiate and manage industrial contracts for the study and risk retirement of new emerging sensing payload systems
• Perform risk-retirement activities through technology breadboarding and pre-development of emerging sensors
• Develop ground-based or airborne instrument models
• Act as the optical instrument lead for EO future missions in Phase 0 or Phase A

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Master's degree in engineering or physics
• Experience: 5 years of relevant professional experience
• Key skills: Knowledge of spaceborne optical instruments for Earth observation missions, Experience in optical instrument developments and performance calculations, Knowledge of optical remote sensing techniques and understanding of Earth observation user needs, Knowledge and experience of emerging sensing technologies, Knowledge of innovation-related processes, Experience in innovative optical sensing technologies such as quantum sensors, photonic sensors, freeform optics, miniaturised cameras or spectrometers, Experience of working in team or project environment, Strong motivation for investigating new sensing concepts involving emerging technologies, Good interpersonal skills, Ability to coordinate and iterate with Earth observation scientists and users

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: 4 years, extendable to indefinite.

Working arrangements: ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands.

Hiring unit: Optical Instruments Section, Future Missions and Instruments Division, Future Missions and Architecture Department, Dir….

Position details

Reference

1369223933

Last Verified

18 October 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Earth Observation Future Missions Optical Payload Engineer - Emerging Sensing Technologies at ESA based in Noordwijk (Other). The vacancy reference is 1369223933.

Job Requisition ID:20355

Date Posted:5 October 2026

Closing Date:26 October 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication Method:Internal & External

Type of Appointment (learn more):4 years, extendable to indefinite

Directorate:Earth Observation Programmes

Location ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Description

Earth Observation (EO) Future Missions Optical Payload Engineer – Emerging Sensing Technologies in the Optical Instruments Section, Future Missions and Instruments Division, Future Missions and Architecture Department, Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes.

Reporting to the Head of the Optical Instruments Section, you will be responsible for the end-to-end definition, engineering, technology breadboarding and pre-development of innovative optical payload systems for EO future missions. These systems will leverage emerging sensing technologies, such as quantum sensors, photonic sensors, freeform optics and miniaturised cameras or spectrometers. You will also work on optical payloads based on more classical optical systems, including imagers and spectrometers. Your role will involve collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to ensure the successful integration of innovative technologies into future payload concepts.

You will be responsible for identifying and investigating new observation principles and technologies, maintaining awareness of relevant R&D activities, and coordinating with both internal and external partners. You will contribute to defining the roadmap for these technologies and will be actively involved in the pre-development of one or more of them. You will be appointed as the instrument lead for a future mission during Phase 0 or Phase A.

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include the following:

- identifying and investigating new observation principles and techniques related to emerging sensing technologies for Earth observation (EO) future missions in coordination with staff from your Department, the Science, Applications and Climate Department and the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality, including contact with research and technical groups; - maintaining knowledge of relevant emerging sensing technology and sensor development programmes inside and outside ESA, including developments undertaken by other space agencies in Europe and worldwide, as well as commercial initiatives in close collaboration with the Division’s Technology Coordination and Frequency Management Section; - maintaining awareness of relevant emerging sensing technology R&D and coordinating with other ESA directorates; - defining and assessing the performance and technological readiness of new emerging sensing payloads and systems in close collaboration with the EO system engineers of the Division’s Mission and System Studies Section, taking into account mission, system and programmatic objectives and requirements; - defining, negotiating, initiating and managing industrial contracts for the study and risk retirement of new emerging sensing payload systems, according to the agreed FutureEO activity plan; - performing risk-retirement activities through technology breadboarding and pre-development of emerging sensors for EO future missions up to their completion, coordinating instrument pre-development activities with project teams when required; - developing ground-based or airborne instrument models, according to the concept’s maturity and performance-demonstration needs; - being the optical instrument lead for EO future missions in Phase 0 or Phase A; - acting as the focal point in the Division for all aspects relating to emerging sensing technologies of missions undergoing evaluation or preparation, including the evaluation of mission proposals, payload system support for Phase 0/A and mission architecture studies, and contributing to the preparation of technical and scientific dossiers on new EO research and operational missions; - contributing to the implementation of the EO Quantum Sensing Strategy and roadmap within the FutureEO programme, as well as preparing work/action plans for the development of the strategy; - contributing to the development and maintenance of technology roadmaps for other emerging sensors as well as preparing work/action plans for their development; - working closely with other staff from the Future Missions and Instruments Division and your Directorate. You will also liaise with the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality and other Directorates involved in future emerging sensor activities. In this context, you will also be expected to help the team through collaboration, knowledge sharing and domain-specific training.

Technical competencies

Knowledge of spaceborne optical instruments for Earth observation missions

Experience in optical instrument developments and performance calculations

Knowledge of optical remote sensing techniques and understanding of Earth observation user needs

Knowledge and experience of the domain of emerging sensing technologies

Knowledge of innovation-related processes

Behavioural competencies

Education and professional experience

A master's degree in engineering or physics is required for this post together with 5 years of relevant professional experience.

Additional requirements

- Experience in innovative optical sensing technologies such as quantum sensors, photonic sensors, freeform optics, miniaturised cameras or spectrometers. - Experience of working in team or project environment is required. - Strong motivation for investigating new sensing concepts involving emerging technologies is required. - You should have good interpersonal skills and be able to work, coordinate and interact within small teams as well as autonomously. - You should be able to coordinate and iterate with Earth observation scientists and users for the definition of mission needs and requirements. - You will be expected to contribute to a dynamic and creative environment in preparatory phases of EO missions. - Experience in the development of mission and instrument performance analysis models/tools for EO optical instruments would be an asset.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 28 May 2026, 143 days ago.

The application deadline is 26 October 2026, 6 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 October 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.

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