Vega and Space Rider Flight Dynamics 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:

• Serve as focal point for all trajectory analyses for Vega missions
• Support GNC system development with emphasis on guidance definition through trajectory analysis and optimisation
• Support ESA and institutional customers on payload compatibility with Vega launcher family
• Participate in Vega-C mission analyses from feasibility studies through final mission analyses
• Conduct preliminary separation and collision-avoidance analyses
• Perform long-term trajectory propagation analyses and critical reviews of industrial inputs
• Support Vega-C post-flight mission analyses and anomaly investigations
• Maintain register of future missions and prepare bi-yearly internal reports

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Master's degree in engineering
• Experience: 4 years of experience in space engineering, ideally in the space transportation field
• Key skills: Flight dynamics and analysis of launchers and re-entry vehicles, Launcher system engineering and launcher performance analysis, Trajectory analysis and optimisation, including transient flight phases and separation dynamics, Long-term trajectory propagation, collision avoidance and multi-payload mission analysis, Development, validation and maintenance of launcher flight dynamics and mission analysis tools, Technical assessment and independent verification of industrial analyses, Knowledge of launcher GNC and its interfaces, Knowledge of European launcher sector and Vega launcher family, Strong analytical skills, Results-oriented approach

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: 4 years, extendable to indefinite.

Working arrangements: ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands with resident assignment to ESRIN in Frascati, Italy. Subject to rotation..

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

Position details

Reference

1451692933

Last Verified

27 October 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Vega and Space Rider Flight Dynamics Engineer at ESA based in Frascati (Other). The vacancy reference is 1451692933.

Job Requisition ID:21069

Date Posted:27 October 2026

Closing Date:17 November 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication Method:Internal & External

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

Directorate:Technology, Engineering and Quality

Location ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands with a resident assignmentto ESRIN in Frascati, Italy.

The post is subject to rotation. At the end of the 4-year assignment, notwithstanding possible extension of the appointment, a further assignment in an ESA establishment will be considered.​

Description

Vega and Space Rider Flight Dynamics Engineer, reporting to the Head of the GNC Systems Architecture Section (parent organisation unit), in the GNC, AOCS and Pointing Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

For your first assignment, you will be located at ESRIN and provide support to the Vega and Space Rider Launch System and Engineering Division, Flight Programmes Department, Directorate of Space Transportation.

Duties

This Division is responsible for managing engineering expertise in the Vega and Space Rider Integrated Project Team, supporting ESA and institutional missions, ensuring compatibility between launch systems, payloads and mission requirements. The Division is also responsible for maintaining technical consistency in the development and exploitation of the Vega-C, Vega-E and Space Rider systems, as well as for the implementation of the launch system industrial activities.

Within this context, you will serve as the focal point for all aspects relating to the flight dynamics of the Vega launcher family and Space Rider, from early mission feasibility through final mission analysis and post flight assessment. You will conduct and oversee trajectory, separation and collision avoidance analyses, support development activities, contribute to post flight analyses and anomaly investigations, maintain mission registers and technical documentation, and develop and adapt in house flight dynamics tools to evolving launcher configurations and mission needs, in close coordination with internal ESA teams, ESTEC and industrial partners.

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

- serving as the focal point for all trajectory analyses to be performed as part the preparation of Vega missions; - supporting the GNC system development with an emphasis on guidance definition through trajectory analysis and optimisation in closed-loop; - supporting ESA and institutional customers, from the early development phases, on all aspects related to payload compatibility with the Vega launcher family, in close coordination with the experts from the Vega Integrated Project Team; - participating in Vega-C mission analyses covering the full lifecycle from early feasibility studies and activities through to final mission analyses, ensuring the compliance of mission characteristics with the launcher’s qualified domain; - conducting preliminary separation and collision-avoidance analyses, based on preliminary mission inputs, to support ESA and institutional missions; - performing long-term trajectory propagation analyses, including critical reviews of industrial inputs related to no-collision and mid-term collision avoidance assessments, with particular emphasis on Vega-C dual-launch and multi-payload configurations; - supporting Vega-C post-flight mission analyses related to trajectory and separation performance, including contributions to anomaly investigations within the relevant domain and the performance of independent cross-checks where required, for example to refine internal model uncertainties; - maintaining the register of future missions and preparing bi-yearly internal reports highlighting key criticalities with respect to the launcher’s qualified perimeter; - producing relevant technical documentation and presenting analysis results to ESA and institutional customers as well as to internal or external stakeholders; - maintaining, adapting and further developing in-house flight dynamics tools to accommodate new launcher characteristics and evolving mission needs, including mathematical solvers and tools for concurrent optimisation of GNC-related aspects of the space vehicle and trajectory.

Technical competencies

Flight dynamics and analysis of launchers and re-entry vehicles

Launcher system engineering and launcher performance analysis

Trajectory analysis and optimisation, including transient flight phases and separation dynamics

Long-term trajectory propagation, collision avoidance and multi-payload mission analysis

Development, validation and maintenance of launcher flight dynamics and mission analysis tools and numerical models

Technical assessment and independent verification of industrial analyses and data

Knowledge of launcher GNC and its interfaces with propulsion, structures, operations and other system disciplines

Knowledge of the European launcher sector and the Vega launcher family

Behavioural competencies

Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in engineering is required with 4 years of experience in space engineering, ideally in the space transportation field.

Additional requirements

- Professional experience in one or more relevant technical domains within the space sector, such as flight dynamics, mission or trajectory analysis, system engineering, trajectory optimisation or analysis of transient flight phases, including separation. - Experience in launcher systems and launcher design, including basic understanding of launcher performance, mission envelopes, staging concepts and operational or qualification constraints. - Experience in mission analysis activities, including trajectory definition, long-term propagation, separation analysis and collision-avoidance studies. - Ability to review industrial analyses and data and to perform independent checks and sensitivity analyses. - Knowledge of, or initial hands-on experience with, ASTOS for trajectory and mission analysis would be an asset, together with the ability and willingness to learn and adapt to additional engineering tools. - Familiarity with multi-payload and complex launcher mission concepts, such as dual launch, rideshare and evolving mission configurations, would be an asset. - Experience of working in a multidisciplinary engineering environment and interacting with agency teams, industry and institutional customers would be an asset. - Initial practical experience in trajectory optimisation would be a strong asset. - Strong analytical skills, a results-oriented approach, the ability to work effectively in a team and good interpersonal skills are essential.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 27 October 2026, today.

The application deadline is 17 November 2026, 20 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 27 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 Frascati see our Frascati 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.