Spacecraft Operations Engineer

Overview

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Serco has contributed to ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, supporting a wide range of space missions and projects. Serco provides essential engineering, technical, and management services, playing a key role in logistics and operational support for missions. Their expertise in spacecraft operations, ground systems, and data processing has earned recognition, including "Best in Domain" awards from ESA. Their long-standing partnership with ESA reflects a commitment to excellence and innovation in the space sector, ensuring successful mission outcomes and advancing space exploration.

This service provides Operations Engineering support to ESA’s Future Studies activities at ESOC, contributing to feasibility, preliminary design, and operations preparation for future, experimental, and pre-operational missions. It supports ESA’s OPS-O department in collaboration with institutional and private partners, helping define and validate operational concepts, procedures, and ground segment preparations for next-generation missions. The work includes active participation in concurrent engineering efforts to ensure mission readiness and operational excellence.

On behalf of our team in Germany, we are looking for an experienced Spacecraft Operations Engineer .

Responsibilities

• Participate in the ESA Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) studies, providing Ground Segment & Operations expertise, developing requested material for presentations, and contributing to trade-off exercises.
• Support pre-phase A to B1 studies allocated to the unit (typically 1 or 2 per year) by providing Ground Segment and Operations expertise, developing operations assumptions, operability requirements, and operations cost estimates, and participating in progress meetings.
• Support special projects or studies allocated to the unit, providing Ground Segment and Operations expertise to non-traditional missions or spacecraft (e.g., cubesats).
• Assume responsibility for additional or bespoke subsystems or systems within the scope of general SOE services, including test, validation, and operation of the Mission Control System, Mission Planning System, and Simulator.

Activities by project phase

• Study of Project-Specific Characteristics and Ground Segment Documentation
• Concurrent Engineering efforts for preliminary and feasibility studies, including participation in CDF sessions
• Preparation of Functional Requirements for Project-Dedicated Flight Control Software
• Support for pre-phase A and B1 phases
• Development of operations assumptions and operability requirements
• Assessment and production of Operations Cost estimates
• Support for project progress meetings
• Participation in the Analysis and Design of Satellite Operations
• Preparation of Functional Requirements for Flight Control Ground Facilities
• Preparation of Flight Control and Contingency Procedures
• Support for operations preparation, validation, and execution
• Mission Management and Mission Planning Support

Essential Requirements

• Good spacecraft subsystems knowledge
• Experience working in an operational environment
• Ability to understand and accurately predict the behaviour of complex systems
• Fluency in English, both in speech and writing
• Well-organised, able to prioritise and manage several activities in parallel
• Familiarity with programming/scripting languages (e.g., C++, Java, JavaScript, Visual Basic, Python)
• Familiarisation with both the space and ground segment and all their respective sub-systems
• Familiarisation with general training schemes and methods

Desirable Requirements

• Familiarity with the ESOC working environment and Quality Management System (QMS)
• Knowledge of satellite or ground operations
• Some experience dealing with external interfaces
• Familiarity with effective teamwork principles and team-building aspects

About Serco

Serco is a leading Space Services Provider with thousands of skilled resources that has supported over 50 space missions for more than 10 Space or Government agencies globally, including ESA, CNES, EUMETSAT, EUSPA, ASI and NASA. We offer space capabilities across the full space lifecycle from satellite testing to Launch services, LEOP to spacecraft operations, space surveillance to data management, and supporting downstream application development. With over 55 years in the space sector, Serco is well placed to contribute to national strategies across Europe and the globe. We work at the heart of the space sector and are experts in sourcing space engineering, earth observation, satellite communications, and cyber security talent.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Engineering and Information Technology

Industries

• Defense and Space Manufacturing

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