Job Description

​

This is a fixed-term appointment with an initial duration of 4 years. Depending upon performance and organisational needs, the appointment may be extended up to a possible maximum duration of 8 years.

Location
ESRIN, Frascati, Italy

As EO Security Applications Engineer, you will report to the Head of the Enterprise Section in the Climate Action, Sustainability and Science Department within the Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes.

The European Resilience from Space (ERS) programme was agreed at the ESA Council at ministerial level in November 2025. This programme will initiate the rapid development and consolidation of European EO capabilities to address gaps and constraints in the availability of and access to adequate EO-derived information for security stakeholders. It will support the preparation a pan-European system of satellites and groups of Member States developing solutions to support cooperative threat mitigation. In addition, the programme contains an element to support Member States in developing “Security Resilience Nodes” enabling enhanced access to state-of-the-art space infrastructure and customised space applications for national stakeholders. These Nodes will build on developments in complementary ESA programmes (in particular Future EO) and will generate requirements for additional EO applications and services to be developed under these programmes. In addition, Nodes will leverage developments under Future EO that address enhanced coordination between private satellite operators, national mission operators and advanced applications and analysis capabilities to better address individual Member State interests.

You will be responsible for ensuring relevant lower TRL EO application and service developments are effectively integrated into the appropriate Nodes, supporting relevant capability developments within particular Nodes, ensuring priority requirements from individual Nodes are translated into R&D activities within Future EO and liaising with institutional and industrial stakeholders to ensure emerging requirements are efficiently and credibly addressed.

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• building awareness and acceptance of civilian/commercial EO capabilities among security stakeholders to foster longer-term adoption;
• working with key stakeholders in the security community to establish and consolidate requirements for geoinformation products and services and to identify priority gaps in current capabilities;
• devising technical specifications for applications and services to address priority requirements and gaps agreed with relevant stakeholders;
• identifying and addressing structural impediments to the take-up of civilian/commercial EO-based products/services in the different security domains and creating relevant space-based solutions;
• working in close cooperation with European EO and non-EO industry to establish operations scenarios and technical approaches for the generation and delivery of a portfolio of EO-based applications and services addressing agreed priorities and gaps within the security communities of individual Member States;
• defining, implementing and managing innovative projects to foster the use of civilian EO in the security domain, in combination with complementary data collection, processing and communications technologies;
• assessing EO science and application developments (including data analytics and artificial intelligence) with respect to exploitation potential for stakeholders within the wider security domain;
• interfacing with the EOP Ground Segment and Mission Management Department to ensure consistency with complementary ground segment capability development activities;
• cooperating with other ESA teams involved in industrial innovation, particularly the EOP Φ-Lab and the Directorates of Technology, Engineering and Quality, and Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness to address evolving security domain priorities;
• cooperating with other ESA teams working on lower TRL focused R&D on innovative security applications for diverse EO data to stimulate an efficient development cycle;
• contributing to ESA communication efforts promoting EO results, mission achievements and EO benefits for society and Earth Action.

Technical competencies

In-depth expertise and comprehensive hands-on experience in the development of EO applications for stakeholders within the wider security communityA comprehensive knowledge of the European EO industry, in particular with respect to current and potential connections for defence and security-related considerationsA detailed understanding of the European and international security landscape as well as extensive experience of interacting with the main European and international security stakeholdersKnowledge of ESA EO programmes and activitiesExtensive experience of working with stakeholders to elicit requirements for analysis and decision support, understand priorities and identify issues to be resolved

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation

Operational Efficiency

Fostering Cooperation

Relationship Management

Continuous Improvement

Forward Thinking

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as Signal Processing, Earth science, Computer Science or Data Science, together with 6 years of relevant professional experience in security related EO applications, is required for this post.

A PhD is considered an asset.

Additional requirements

You should demonstrate experience of working with diverse stakeholders across both the space and security communities.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.

At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us via email at contact.human.resources@esa.int

Important Information and Disclaimer
In principle, recruitment will be within the advertised grade band (A2-A4). However, if the selected candidate has less than four years of relevant professional experience following the completion of the master’s degree, the position may be filled at A1 level.

Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations & eligible to acquire the security clearance by their national security administrations.

During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.

Note that ESA is in the process of transitioning to a Matrix setup, which could lead to organisational changes affecting this position.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

Nationality and Languages
Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.

According to the ESA Convention, staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, taking into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the Member States.

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.