Mission Performance and Processor Engineer

Mission Performance and Processor Engineer

On behalf of ESA, we are looking for a Mission Performance and Processor Engineer to work at ESTEC’s premises, in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.

The key individual will provide support to Earth Observation Projects, specifically end-to-end (E2E) Mission Performance, covering both software and algorithm aspects. They will work within the relevant Project Teams and will report to the System Manager (or equivalent within the Project).

Tasks and Activities

The scope of work will include:

• Contributing to the overall specification of the E2E Mission Performance Simulator chain (from Scene Generation up to Level-2).
• Monitoring the development of the Instrument Simulator Software developed through an ESA contract with industry.
• Monitoring the development of the Level 1 Prototype Processor Software developed through an ESA contract with industry.
• Monitoring the development and the integration of the overall E2E Mission Performance Simulator chain and its components, developed through an ESA contract with industry.
• Reviewing the Level-1 and Instrument Simulator algorithms and input/output interfaces.
• Perform the integration of E2E Mission Performance Simulator chain developed by industry with the L2 scientific components developed by scientists.
• Ensuring that the E2E Mission Performance Simulator chain and its components and algorithms meet the required functionality and performance, considering system, instrument, geophysical model and calibration/validation facility aspects.
• Installing, maintaining, and operating an up-to-date copy of the E2E Mission Performance Simulator software at ESTEC.
• Analyzing impacts on the mission performance resulting from deviations during the development programme.
• Ensuring the proper verification and validation methods are proposed and implemented.
• Supporting Test Data production and verification.
• Supporting the analysis of the data collected during on-ground and in-orbit calibration and characterization campaigns.
• Developing any needed software tool to support all the mentioned activities.
• Providing necessary inputs for the relevant internal and external meetings.

Skills and Experience

The following skills and experience are mandatory:

• Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in Computer science, Physics or Engineering.
• Very good knowledge of computer environments and software development (Linux, compilers, debuggers, scripting such as python, shell scripts, perl…).
• Knowledge of the Earth Observation (payload data) ground segment, including processes such as calibration, monitoring routine data processing; processors and facilities; interactions with other stakeholders (FOS, end users).
• Knowledge of data analysis/processing (statistics, error budgets; simulations; data tools).
• Working knowledge on remote sensing techniques.
• Good level of autonomy and organizing skills.
• Fluent in English, written and spoken.

The following skills would be highly desirable:

• Written and/or spoken knowledge of other languages.