On-board Computers and Data Handling Engineer (3 Positions) - 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, programmes and general studies in onboard computers, platform and payload data handling and processing systems
• Participate in feasibility studies, project reviews, and evaluations of procurement proposals
• Identify critical development problems and assist in their resolution
• Contribute to the definition of technology development requirements, roadmaps and work plans
• Define, initiate and manage R&D activities addressing short- and long-term ESA mission needs
• Foster new application areas for multidisciplinary activities with emphasis on innovative concepts and cutting-edge technologies
• Conduct laboratory activities as required
• Monitor applicable scientific and technological trends and maintain state-of-the-art expertise

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Master's degree in electronics, electrical engineering, networks, telecommunications or a related field
• Experience: In principle, 10 years of relevant professional experience. At least 10 years of professional experience in: design, review, simulation and verification of end-to-end processing chains and data handling architectures; design, review, simulation, manufacturing and testing of platform and payload data handling and processing equipment, modules and boards with focus on onboard computers; implementat…
• Key skills: General background and specific experience in onboard computers, platform and payload data handling and processing systems, Hands-on hardware development and testing experience for onboard data handling and payload data processing elements, Understanding of related technologies, R&D trends and industrial landscape, Project support experience in relevant domain, Experience in preparation of procurement activities for technology development and innovation, Experience in management and monitoring of industrial activities, Experience in technology roadmap definition and harmonisation

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: 4 years, extendable to indefinite duration; or fixed-term appointment with initial duration of 4 years, extendable up to maximum total duration of 8 years.

Working arrangements: ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands.

Hiring unit: Data Handling Section, Avionics and EEE Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Qua….

Position details

Reference

1376580333

Last Verified

6 August 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for On-board Computers and Data Handling Engineer (3 Positions) at ESA based in Noordwijk (Other). The vacancy reference is 1376580333.

Job Requisition ID:20413

Date Posted:31 July 2026

Closing Date:28 August 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication:Internal & External

Directorate:Technology, Engineering and Quality

Location

ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

This vacancy is published to recruit for either: an appointment of 4 years, extendable to an indefinite duration; or a fixed-term appointment with an initial duration of 4 years that depending on performance and organisational needs, may be extended up to a maximum total duration of 8 years.

## Description

On-board Computers and Data Handling Engineer in the Data Handling Section, Avionics and EEE Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

The Data Handling Section provides functional support to ESA projects and carries out technological research and development (R&D) concerning turnkey onboard hardware data handling solutions, with an emphasis on:

* platform and payload data handling architectures and their building blocks (equipment/units, modules and key components); * platform units such as onboard computers, mass memories, remote terminals and instrument control units*; * digital and analogue signal processing electronics for payload/platform functions*; * front-end acquisition and processing chain electronics*; * interfaces, buses, networks and associated protocols (high, medium and low speed), for onboard data transfers, and command and control functions; * platform data handling functions related to security, data authentication, encryption/decryption and compression; * the use of microelectronics devices, including COTS, in the development of platform data handling and payload data processing equipment; * the implementation, inference, verification and validation of algorithms on data processing hardware platforms for space applications in close collaboration with other discipline experts, such as software, microelectronics and applications engineers.

* except for RF payloads.

** including a rtificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms.

## Duties

You will report to the Head of Section and within the technical fields described above, your main tasks and responsibilities will include:

* providing expert technical support and consultancy to ESA projects, programmes and general studies in the fields of onboard computers, platform and payload data handling and processing systems, throughout all project phases; * participating in feasibility studies, project reviews, and evaluations of procurement proposals; * identifying critical development problems and assisting in their resolution; * contributing to the definition of technology development requirements, roadmaps and work plans for the Agency’s technology programmes; * defining, initiating and managing R&D activities addressing both short- and long-term ESA mission needs; * fostering new application areas for multidisciplinary activities, placing emphasis on innovative concepts, cutting-edge technologies and system architectures; * conducting laboratory activities as required; * monitoring applicable scientific and technological trends and maintaining state-of-the-art expertise; * contributing to the dissemination of the results of the activities performed and the transfer of knowledge and lessons learned across the Agency.

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

## Technical competencies

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

Hands-on hardware development and testing experience for onboard data handling and payload data processing elements (modules and units)

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

Project support experience in a relevant domain

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

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

Experience in technology roadmap definition and harmonisation

## Behavioural competencies

## Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in electronics, electrical engineering, networks, telecommunications or a related field is required for this post together with, in principle, 10 years of relevant professional experience.

## Additional requirements

At least 10 years of professional experience in the following:

* Design, review, simulation and verification of end-to-end processing chains and data handling architectures; * Design, review, simulation, manufacturing and testing of platform and payload data handling and processing equipment, modules and boards, with a particular focus on onboard computers; * Implementation of platform and payload data handling and processing equipment utilising FPGAs/processors/ microcontrollers, single-point-of-failure-free circuit design, failure containment strategies, and the use of radiation-hardened, tolerant, or COTS components with radiation mitigation techniques; * Implementation and testing of data handling and processing modules and units in a laboratory environment.

Knowledge of the following fields would be considered an asset:

* Design and use of electrical ground support equipment, in support of the development and testing of data handling and data processing units and modules (onboard computers, mass memories, instrument control units, remote terminal/interface units, and payload data processing units); * Design and use of electrical ground support equipment for supporting instruments or satellite data handling/processing AIT activities; * Knowledge of security protocols and functions, such as encryption, decryption, authentication and key distribution, and their hardware implementations, as applied in avionics and data handling systems; * Understanding of security considerations – risks, vulnerabilities, threats and mitigation methods – as applied to avionics and data handling systems; * Failure detection, isolation and recovery design and analysis for avionics and data handling systems; * Implementation, inference, training, verification and validation of machine learning algorithms on hardware platforms for space or terrestrial applications; * Knowledge of model-based system engineering tools and methodologies for the modelling and design of avionics and data handling systems; * Participation in technical and organisational committees for conferences and workshops.

Application timeline

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

The application deadline is 28 August 2026, 21 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 Noordwijk see our Noordwijk location page.

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