Product Assurance and Safety Engineer (multiple positions)
Support ESA projects and contribute to product assurance and safety management activities.
Overview
Support ESA projects and contribute to product assurance and safety management activities.
You have:
- A master's degree in a relevant domain is required for this post together with five years of relevant professional experience.
- Solid experience in the technical domains covered by the position.
- Experience in quality auditing or assessor certification would be considered assets.
- Experience in the management and monitoring of industrial activities, including participation as an expert in project corporate reviews.
- Understanding of related technologies and R&D trends, and familiarity with the industrial landscape.
- Good knowledge of English or French is required; knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.
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.
Location ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands
Description
Product Assurance and Safety (PA&S) Engineer in the Product Assurance Management Section, Quality and PA Product Assurance Management Division, Quality Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.
- The Section covers the following technical domains:
- Provision of functional support to ESA projects and technology programmes in the areas of Product Assurance and Safety (PA&S) engineering and management, working in close liaison with other organisational units within the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality as well as other programme directorates;
- Technological research and development in the fields of PA&S management, techniques, methodologies and tools;
- Standardisation and training activities related to PA.
Duties
You will report to the Head of Section and, within the technical fields described above, your main tasks and responsibilities will include:
- providing expertise to ESA projects, programmes and technology development programme activities in the field of PA&S management;
- contributing to the Divisional activities related to ESA Mission Classification definition and implementation;
- preparing and implementing general and project-specific programmatic and technical requirements based on the applicable product and quality assurance baseline;
- monitoring and reporting of supplier PA&S programme implementation to ensure compliance with applicable requirements; this includes auditing activities;
- contributing to management and technical boards relative to the implementation and review of a project’s PA&S programme;
- defining, initiating and managing R&D activities (in product and quality assurance; requirements, techniques, methodologies and tools) covering long- and short-term needs;
- establishing and implementing standards and best practices in the product and quality assurance field;
- contributing to and, when requested by line management, participating in the Directorate’s domains of competence;
- implementing the configuration management system in ESA projects;
- monitoring applicable scientific/technological trends and maintaining state-of-the-art expertise;
- disseminating the results of activities performed and the transfer of knowledge across the Agency.
Your duties may include other activities within your field of competence.
Technical competencies
Experience in the technical domains covered by the position
Understanding of related technologies and R&D trends, and familiarity with the industrial landscape
Experience in the management and monitoring of industrial activities, including participation as an expert in project corporate reviews
Experience with Space Quality Standards and their preparation and implementation
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 domain is required for this post together with five years of relevant professional experience.
Additional requirements
Solid experience in the technical domains covered by the position. Experience in quality auditing or assessor certification would be considered assets.
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 [email protected].
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.
Potential interview questions
| Can you provide an example of a project where you ensured compliance with product assurance and safety standards? | To evaluate your direct experience with ensuring compliance in a technical setting. | Use specific examples detailing the context, actions taken, and outcomes. |
| Describe your experience with quality auditing and how it applies to technical domains. | To understand your practical application of quality auditing skills. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you approach managing project-specific programmatic requirements? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What strategies do you use to keep up-to-date with current R&D trends in product assurance? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you foster cooperation within multidisciplinary teams? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Can you discuss your experience with configuration management systems? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What is your understanding of the ESA Mission Classification Initiative and its implications? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Describe a challenge you faced in a prior project and how you overcame it. | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |