ERS-EO Security Applications Engineer - European Space Agency (Frascati)

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:

• Building awareness and acceptance of civilian/commercial EO capabilities among security stakeholders to foster longer-term adoption
• Working with key stakeholders in the security community to establish and consolidate requirements for geoinformation products and services and to identify priority gaps in current capabilities
• Devising technical specifications for applications and services to address priority requirements and gaps agreed with relevant stakeholders
• Identifying and addressing structural impediments to the take-up of civilian/commercial EO-based products/services in the different security domains and creating relevant space-based solutions
• Working in close cooperation with European EO and non-EO industry to establish operations scenarios and technical approaches for the generation and delivery of a portfolio of EO-based applications and services
• Defining, implementing and managing innovative projects to foster the use of civilian EO in the security domain, in combination with complementary data collection, processing and communications technologies
• Assessing EO science and application developments (including data analytics and artificial intelligence) with respect to exploitation potential for stakeholders within the wider security domain
• Interfacing with the EOP Ground Segment and Mission Management Department to ensure consistency with complementary ground segment capability development activities

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Master's degree in a relevant discipline such as Signal Processing, Earth science, Computer Science or Data Science
• Experience: 6 years of relevant professional experience in security related EO applications
• Key skills: In-depth expertise and comprehensive hands-on experience in the development of EO applications for stakeholders within the wider security community, Comprehensive knowledge of the European EO industry, in particular with respect to current and potential connections for defence and security-related considerations, Detailed understanding of the European and international security landscape, Extensive experience of interacting with the main European and international security stakeholders, Knowledge of ESA EO programmes and activities, Extensive experience of working with stakeholders to elicit requirements for analysis and decision support, understand priorities and identify issues to be resolved, Experience of working with diverse stakeholders across both the space and security communities

Contract and working arrangements

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

Working arrangements: ESRIN, Frascati, Italy.

Hiring unit: Earth Observation Programmes Directorate, Climate Action, Sustainability and Science Department, Enterprise Section.

Position details

Reference

1380488633

Last Verified

18 September 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for ERS-EO Security Applications Engineer at ESA based in Frascati (Other). The vacancy reference is 1380488633.

Job Requisition ID:20470

Date Posted:16 September 2026

Closing Date:7 October 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication:Internal & External

Directorate:Earth Observation Programmes

​

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 ESRIN, Frascati, Italy

Description

As EO Security Applications Engineer, you will report to the Head of the Enterprise Section in the Climate Action, Sustainability and Science Department within the Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes.

The European Resilience from Space (ERS) programme was agreed at the ESA Council at ministerial level in November 2025. This programme will initiate the rapid development and consolidation of European EO capabilities to address gaps and constraints in the availability of and access to adequate EO-derived information for security stakeholders. It will support the preparation a pan-European system of satellites and groups of Member States developing solutions to support cooperative threat mitigation. In addition, the programme contains an element to support Member States in developing “Security Resilience Nodes” enabling enhanced access to state-of-the-art space infrastructure and customised space applications for national stakeholders. These Nodes will build on developments in complementary ESA programmes (in particular Future EO) and will generate requirements for additional EO applications and services to be developed under these programmes. In addition, Nodes will leverage developments under Future EO that address enhanced coordination between private satellite operators, national mission operators and advanced applications and analysis capabilities to better address individual Member State interests.

You will be responsible for ensuring relevant lower TRL EO application and service developments are effectively integrated into the appropriate Nodes, supporting relevant capability developments within particular Nodes, ensuring priority requirements from individual Nodes are translated into R&D activities within Future EO and liaising with institutional and industrial stakeholders to ensure emerging requirements are efficiently and credibly addressed.

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

- building awareness and acceptance of civilian/commercial EO capabilities among security stakeholders to foster longer-term adoption; - working with key stakeholders in the security community to establish and consolidate requirements for geoinformation products and services and to identify priority gaps in current capabilities; - devising technical specifications for applications and services to address priority requirements and gaps agreed with relevant stakeholders; - identifying and addressing structural impediments to the take-up of civilian/commercial EO-based products/services in the different security domains and creating relevant space-based solutions; - working in close cooperation with European EO and non-EO industry to establish operations scenarios and technical approaches for the generation and delivery of a portfolio of EO-based applications and services addressing agreed priorities and gaps within the security communities of individual Member States; - defining, implementing and managing innovative projects to foster the use of civilian EO in the security domain, in combination with complementary data collection, processing and communications technologies; - assessing EO science and application developments (including data analytics and artificial intelligence) with respect to exploitation potential for stakeholders within the wider security domain; - interfacing with the EOP Ground Segment and Mission Management Department to ensure consistency with complementary ground segment capability development activities; - cooperating with other ESA teams involved in industrial innovation, particularly the EOP Φ-Lab and the Directorates of Technology, Engineering and Quality, and Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness to address evolving security domain priorities; - cooperating with other ESA teams working on lower TRL focused R&D on innovative security applications for diverse EO data to stimulate an efficient development cycle; - contributing to ESA communication efforts promoting EO results, mission achievements and EO benefits for society and Earth Action.

Technical competencies

In-depth expertise and comprehensive hands-on experience in the development of EO applications for stakeholders within the wider security community

A comprehensive knowledge of the European EO industry, in particular with respect to current and potential connections for defence and security-related considerations

A detailed understanding of the European and international security landscape as well as extensive experience of interacting with the main European and international security stakeholders

Knowledge of ESA EO programmes and activities

Extensive experience of working with stakeholders to elicit requirements for analysis and decision support, understand priorities and identify issues to be resolved

Behavioural competencies

Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as Signal Processing, Earth science, Computer Science or Data Science, together with 6 years of relevant professional experience in security related EO applications, is required for this post.

A PhD is considered an asset.

Additional requirements

You should demonstrate experience of working with diverse stakeholders across both the space and security communities.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 17 September 2026, 3 days ago.

The application deadline is 7 October 2026, 16 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 Frascati see our Frascati location page.

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