Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Systems 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:

• Provide expert technical support and consultancy to ESA projects in GNC requirements analysis and trade-offs
• Perform GNC performance analysis and budgeting
• Support GNC system, software and unit procurement
• Conduct GNC system verification and validation throughout all project phases
• Participate in feasibility studies and Phase 0 in the ESA Concurrent Design Facility
• Participate in project reviews and evaluation of procurement proposals
• Identify critical development problems and assist in their resolution
• Contribute to definition of technology development requirements and work plans

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Master's degree in aerospace engineering or control engineering
• Experience: 5 years of relevant professional experience; proven experience in development (design, analysis, simulation and testing) of GNC systems for exploration missions, space transportation systems, planetary science and/or active debris removal or in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing
• Key skills: Understanding of related technologies and R&D trends, Familiarity with the industrial landscape, Project support experience in a relevant domain, General knowledge of ESA and EU Space Programmes, Experience in preparation of procurement activities for technology development and innovation, Experience in management and monitoring of industrial activities, Rendezvous, close proximity operations and distributed or coordinated control techniques, GNC hardware sensors and actuators, Classical and advanced control and filtering techniques, Relative navigation technology

Contract and working arrangements

Hiring unit: GNC Systems Architecture Section, GNC, AOCS and Pointing Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technology, En….

Position details

Reference

1410974733

Last Verified

24 July 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Systems Engineer at ESA based in Noordwijk (Other). The vacancy reference is 1410974733.

Job Requisition ID:20732

Closing Date:13 August 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication:Internal & External

Directorate:Technology, Engineering and Quality

Location

ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

## Description

Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Systems Engineer in the GNC Systems Architecture Section, GNC, AOCS and Pointing Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

The GNC Systems Architecture Section provides functional support to ESA projects in the technical field of GNC systems for planetary and small solar system object exploration orbiters and landers, launch and transportation systems, re-entry vehicles, new-generation space vehicles for in-orbit robotic operations, including in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing and debris removal, and specialised applications such as rendezvous and formation flying.

The GNC Systems Architecture Section carries out technology research in the field of GNC systems for space vehicles, including interplanetary cruise, aero-assistance, precision landing, ascent, rendezvous and docking, re-entry, formation flying and drag-free systems. This covers in particular autonomous and fault-tolerant systems, including health monitoring systems, and advanced guidance, control, estimation and optimisation techniques and tools, as well as the technology development of GNC sensors with a focus on vision-based navigation and hybrid navigation concepts.

## Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

* providing expert technical support and consultancy to ESA projects, programmes and general studies in the area of GNC requirements analysis and trade-offs for system, software and hardware units, GNC performance analysis and budgeting, GNC system, software and unit procurement, and GNC system verification and validation throughout all project phases, including GNC fault detection isolation and recovery; * participating in feasibility studies, including Phase 0 in the ESA Concurrent Design Facility, project reviews and the evaluation of procurement proposals; * identifying critical development problems and assisting in their resolution; * contributing to the definition of technology development requirements and work plans for the Agency’s technology programmes; * defining, initiating and managing R&D activities covering both long- and short-term needs and addressing mission-enabling GNC system concepts as well as mathematical modelling, multi-physics simulation of complex spacecraft dynamics, and advanced guidance, control, estimation and optimisation techniques and tools; * fostering new application areas for multidisciplinary activities, with an emphasis on innovative concepts, cutting-edge technologies and system architectures; * laboratory activities for the evaluation and prototyping of new GNC systems and sensors, as required; * monitoring applicable scientific and technological trends and maintaining state-of-the-art expertise; * contributing to the dissemination of the results of activities performed and the transfer of knowledge across the Agency.

Your duties may also include supporting other activities within your area of competence.

## Technical competencies

Understanding of related technologies and R&D trends and familiarity with the industrial landscape

Project support experience in a relevant domain

General knowledge of ESA and EU Space Programmes

Experience in the preparation of procurement activities for technology development and innovation, such as statements of work and proposal evaluation

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

General background and experience in the technical domains covered by the position

## Behavioural competencies

## Education and professional experience

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

## Additional requirements

Proven experience in the development (design, analysis, simulation and testing) of GNC systems for exploration missions, space transportation systems, planetary science and/or active debris removal or in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing.

Preference will be given to those with strong expertise in two or more of the following areas related to the position with ideally 8 or more years of relevant experience:

* Rendezvous, close proximity operations and distributed or coordinated control techniques applicable to active debris removal or in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing applications; * GNC hardware sensors and actuators; * Classical and advanced (robust, adaptive, non-linear) control and filtering techniques; * Relative navigation technology (sensors and techniques, including image processing and data fusion) for space systems; * Mathematical modelling and multi-physics/multi-domain simulation techniques; * Machine learning techniques and their application to safety-critical or mission-critical systems.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 3 July 2026, 23 days ago.

The application deadline is 13 August 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 24 July 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.

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.