PhD vacatures

EO Future Missions Optical Payload and Performance Engineer

Job Requisition ID: 19732

Date Posted: 15 December 2025

Closing Date: 6 January 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Directorate: Earth Observation Programmes

Earth Observation (EO) Future Missions Optical Payload and Performance Engineer in the Optical Instruments Section, Future Missions and Instruments Division, Future Missions and Architecture Department, Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes.

Reporting to the Head of the Optical Instruments Section, you will be responsible for the end-to-end definition, engineering, technology breadboarding and pre-development of optical payload systems for EO future missions, both for research missions (e.g. Earth Explorers, Missions of Opportunity and Scout missions) and operational missions (e.g. Copernicus and meteorology missions).

The above payloads include EO multispectral imagers, imaging spectrometers and Fourier-Transform spectrometers, as well as active laser payloads for Earth surface and atmosphere sensing, covering the full wavelength range from ultraviolet to far infrared.

You will be involved in the study and pre-development of one or several of the payloads. You will be appointed as the person responsible for optical instruments in the preparation of EO future missions in Phase 0 or Phase A.

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• identifying and investigating new Earth observation principles, techniques and technologies in coordination with staff in your Department, the Science, Applications and Climate Department, and the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality, including interfacing with research and technical groups, in particular with the relevant Science Mission Advisory Groups;
• maintaining knowledge of relevant technology status and instrument development programmes inside and outside ESA, including developments undertaken by other space agencies in Europe and worldwide, as well as commercial initiatives such as those under NewSpace, in close collaboration with the Division’s Technology Coordination and Frequency Management Section;
• defining and assessing the performance and technological readiness of new EO optical payload systems in close collaboration with the staff of the Division’s Mission and System Studies Section, taking into account mission, system and programmatic objectives and requirements;
• defining, negotiating, initiating and managing industrial contracts for the study and risk-retirement of new optical payload systems, according to the agreed activity plan;
• defining, negotiating, initiating and managing risk-retirement activities through technology breadboarding and pre-development of optical payload systems for EO future missions (including Earth Explorer, Copernicus and meteorology) up to their completion, coordinating instrument pre-development activities with project teams when required;
• defining, negotiating, initiating and managing the development of ground-based or airborne instrument models, according to the concept’s maturity and performance-demonstration needs;
• providing expert support to the Division for the optical payload aspects of missions undergoing evaluation or preparation, including for the evaluation of mission proposals, optical payload system support for Phase 0/A and mission architecture studies, and contributing to the preparation of technical and scientific dossiers on new EO research and operational missions;
• being responsible for optical instruments for EO future missions in Phase 0 or Phase A;
• supporting InCubed proposal evaluation and ensuring the technical management of activities related to EO optical payloads and technologies;
• defining, developing, maintaining and upgrading optical payload systems dimensioning and mission performance models and tools to assess new instrument concepts.

You will work closely with other staff from the Future Missions and Instruments Division and from D/EOP and will also liaise with the Directorate of Technology, Engineering & Quality (D/TEC) and other Directorates involved in optical engineering activities.

Knowledge of technical domains and related R&D space industry trends

Knowledge of innovation-related processes

Experience in spaceborne optical instruments

Experience in optical Earth observation mission and instrument performance modelling

Knowledge of optical remote sensing techniques and understanding of Earth observation user needs

You should have a PhD or master’s degree in engineering or physics.

Additional requirements

• At least seven years of relevant experience in the preparation and/or development of EO optical instruments is required.
• Experience in the development of mission and instrument performance analysis models/tools for EO optical instruments is required.
• Experience of working in a team or project environment is required.
• You should have good interpersonal skills and be able to work, coordinate and interact within small teams as well as autonomously.
• You should be able to coordinate and iterate with Earth observation scientists and users for the definition of mission needs and requirements.
• You will be expected to contribute to a dynamic and creative environment in preparatory phases of EO missions.
• Experience in active optical instruments or thermal infrared instruments would be an asset.

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.

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, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.

According to the ESA Convention, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will first be given to internal candidates and secondly to external candidates from under-represented 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.

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.

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