Mission Analyst - European Space Agency (Darmstadt)

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:

• Performing and coordinating mission analysis activities and providing mission analysis solutions for projects, mission studies and industrial partners
• Interfacing with customers, European space industry, flight dynamics and operations teams, sub-system engineers, Space Debris Office and Planetary Protection Office
• Developing and maintaining generic mission analysis methods and software and participating in development of generic flight dynamics software
• Developing project- and mission-specific mission analysis tools
• Technical leadership of mission analysis work packages carried out by on- and off-site service teams
• Specifying and managing study and development contracts with academia and European industry
• Representing the Agency in relevant areas in committees and at conferences
• Supporting projects by participating in tender evaluations and reviews of industrial contracts

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Master's degree in a relevant domain
• Experience: 2 years of relevant professional experience
• Key skills: Trajectory design and analysis using low- and high-thrust propulsion systems, Global and local optimisation methods, Navigation analysis, Mathematical software development, Flight Dynamics operations preparation and execution, Basic knowledge of space systems engineering

Contract and working arrangements

Hiring unit: Mission Analysis Section, Flight Dynamics Division, Ground Systems Engineering and Innovation Department, Directorate o….

Position details

Reference

1422165933

Last Verified

6 August 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Mission Analyst at ESA based in Darmstadt (Other). The vacancy reference is 1422165933.

Job Requisition ID:20783

Date Posted:3 August 2026

Closing Date:24 August 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication:Internal & External

Location

ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany

## Description

Mission Analyst in the Mission Analysis Section, Flight Dynamics Division, Ground Systems Engineering and Innovation Department, Directorate of Operations.

The Mission Analysis Section is the solution architect for future terrestrial, lunar, minor-body and interplanetary missions, as well as scientific missions to other planets or missions in libration points. The emphasis is on trajectory optimisation and attitude-related aspects, and on providing solutions for the spacecraft itself, the ground segment design and operations preparations.

Reporting to the Head of Section, you will participate in and organise the mission analysis activities referenced above. You will need the ability to supervise and develop complex software tools to enable the required analysis and activities.

Your tasks will include, among others, transfer and operational orbit analysis and related fields, such as trading off orbit selection, optimising low-/high-thrust propulsion planetary and interplanetary trajectories, parametric optimisation, taking different configurations into account, computing atmospheric entry trajectories and launch windows, propellant budget analysis, predicting orbit-derived data, orbit determination and navigation analysis, planetary protection, space debris mitigation, analysing satellite constellations for various purposes, and formation flight.

Finding innovative solutions to new and old problems and a good understanding of future technologies are central to the work of the Department, and you should be open-minded, technically well-informed and proactive in identifying cutting-edge solutions.

While knowledge in most of the areas outlined above would be considered an asset, it is acknowledged that many require specialised expertise, and you are not expected to cover all of them.

## Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

* performing and coordinating mission analysis activities and providing mission analysis solutions for projects, mission studies and industrial partners; * interfacing with other entities in the space mission design process, such as the customer, for example scientists, European space industry, flight dynamics and operations teams, sub-system engineers, for example in the communications, electrical, thermal and propulsion engineering domains, the Space Debris Office and the Planetary Protection Office; * developing and maintaining generic mission analysis methods and software and participating in the development of generic flight dynamics software; * developing project- and mission-specific mission analysis tools; * technical leadership of mission analysis work packages carried out by on- and off-site service teams provided by the Agency’s industrial partners; * specifying and managing study and development contracts with academia and European industry; * representing the Agency in relevant areas in committees and at conferences; * supporting projects by participating in tender evaluations and reviews of industrial contracts; * supporting the Head of Section in the introduction of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence applications, model-based systems engineering or quantum computing.

## Technical competencies

Trajectory design and analysis using low- and high-thrust propulsion systems

Global and local optimisation methods

Navigation analysis

Mathematical software development

Flight Dynamics operations preparation and execution

Basic knowledge of space systems engineering

## Behavioural competencies

## Education and professional experience

A master's degree in a relevant domain is required for this post together with 2 years of relevant professional experience.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 3 August 2026, 2 days ago.

The application deadline is 24 August 2026, 17 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 6 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 Darmstadt see our Darmstadt 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.