Description

As part of the LISA team in the Projects Department of the Directorate of Science, you, as Lead Payload Engineer, will report to the Payload Procurement Lead. 

LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) is a mission comprising a constellation of three spacecraft tasked with detecting and measuring gravitational waves with precision. It will become the first ever space gravitational wave observatory. It will deliver world-class science and will have significant public and strategic impact.

Two of the main payload subsystems are the Gravitational Reference Subsystem (GRS) and the Science Diagnostic Subsystem (SDS). 

The Gravitational Reference Subsystem (GRS) represents one of the core subsystems within the LISA payload. The GRS is a Customer Furnished Item to ESA and entails the involvement and collaboration of European institutes and industries as well as PRODEX (PROgramme de Développement d'Expériences scientifiques). 

The GRS houses the free-falling test masses inside each spacecraft and, via a combination of optical and electrostatic methods, measure the tiny movements of the test masses and control their position, which is essential for detecting gravitational waves with extreme precision. The GRS comprises the GRS-Head (GRSH) hosting the test masses, the Mechanism Control Unit (MCU), the Front-End Electronics (FEE) and the Charge Management Device (CMD). There are two CMD developments on-going: a European CMD that is in the early stages of procurement and a NASA-developed CMD, for which there is already a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 model.

The Science Diagnostic Subsystem (SDS) represents one of the core subsystems within the LISA payload. The SDS is a Customer Furnished Item to ESA and entails the involvement and collaboration of European institutes and industries as well as PRODEX (PROgramme de Développement d'Expériences scientifiques).

The SDS monitors the environmental conditions within each of the three spacecraft, such as temperature, magnetic fields, radiation, and electrical charge, thus allowing the identification and the correction for non-gravitational noise in the scientific data.

As Lead Payload Engineer, you will have the responsibility to follow the entire development of one or more payload subsystem(s) or units, ensuring its compliance to the scientific and technical requirements of LISA mission.

You will supervise the design, development, and testing activities, assisting all the relevant stakeholders (internal and external the LISA Project Team), and coordinating the involved institutes.

In performing your tasks, you will be supported by experts within the LISA Project Team and from the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

Duties

Within the payload team, the postholder will be responsible for the timely development, verification, and delivery of the subsystem and/or unit up to the end of commissioning.

Within the programme guidelines and constraints, the detailed duties will include:

• coordinating and controlling the institutes and industry in charge of the procurement of the elements, ensuring that their design and development comply with the LISA scientific, technical, and programmatic requirements;
• ensuring the correct flow down of requirements from LISA System Requirements Document (SRD)/Payload Requirements Documents (PRD)/Interface Requirement Document (IRD)/etc to the subsystem(s);
• following all the development activities, providing the CFI institutes and industry with the needed technical support;
• organising, conducting, and completing all the relevant and necessary reviews;
• supporting the Payload Procurement Lead in defining, maintaining, and executing their schedules and risk registers;
• coordinating interfaces to the LISA spacecraft team as required;
• providing engineering support to other LISA payload elements as required by the team;
• providing support to the LISA Project Team in its entire development up to its completion;
• providing support to the Projects Department when needed and requested.

You may be assigned to follow additional payload elements depending on the needs of the LISA Project.

You will also be responsible for identifying, assessing, and reporting the health and safety risks in your area of responsibility.

Technical competencies

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

A master’s degree preferably in one of the following domains: spacecraft systems engineering, AIT (Assembly, Integration and Testing), electrical engineering, or materials and processes is required for this post.

Additional requirements

• Experience in scientific instrument manufacturing technologies, the associated challenges and knowledge of state-of-the art performance;
• Knowledge of test and verification methods for electrical and electronic components and instrumentation; 
• Basic knowledge of other engineering areas (such as mechanical, thermal or materials) would be considered an asset.

You should also have:

• strong interpersonal skills and the capacity to be a team player;
• the potential to coordinate individuals or a team in a project setting; 
• the ability to keep third-party activities under control, ensuring a motivating collaboration environment with stakeholders;
• strong leadership capabilities and communication skills;
• the ability to proactively operate in a project team;
• strong problem-solving skills to deal with day-to-day operational challenges, together with demonstrated planning and organisational skills;
• strong result orientation with the ability to set priorities and present practical solutions both orally and in writing;
• the ability to manage challenging situations proactively and constructively and to be customer-focused.

International experience, i.e. outside your home country, as well as experience in diverse functional areas relevant to ESA activities is an asset.

You must be eligible to access technology and hardware which are subject to European and US export control regulations.