Liaison Officer
Houston, US
Location
ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany with a resident assignment to the ESA Houston Office, Texas, USA.
Description
The Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration Programmes (D/HRE) is a programme directorate within the ESA matrix structure. Through a partnership between humans and robots, D/HRE is dedicated to exploring destinations in space where humans are already living and working — or will live and work in the future — for the purpose of scientific research, economic development, international cooperation and public inspiration.
The Houston Office Team provides the necessary technical liaison between the NASA International Space Station (ISS), Orion and Gateway Programme Office located at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) and the HRE staff located in Europe.
The Liaison Officer reports directly to the Houston Office Team Leader.
Duties
Your tasks and responsibilities will include:
- facilitating technical and programmatic coordination between ESA and NASA teams and the other IP liaison offices at JSC for the ISS, post-ISS and other LEO programmes. This includes representing ESA in reviews, boards, panels and working groups relating to the ISS and post-ISS programmes and assisting in coordinating and processing change requests (CRs) requiring ESA approval or consent;
- acting as the primary ESA Liaison Officer for the ISS and post-ISS programme operations, supporting ISS flight and increment preparation, operations and execution as the IMC (Increment Management Centre) ESA lead in coordination with ESA increment managers and the COL-CC Flight Control Team;
- coordinating ESA’s position with the EHO Team Lead, the ESA Programme Manager(s) and the ESA Increment Manager(s) prior to reviews, boards, panels and working groups relating to the ISS and post-ISS programmes;
- coordinating ESA flight readiness for ISS, PAM and other potential ESA-led commercial and institutional flights, both for cargo and crewed flights, and representing ESA in associated meetings, briefings, readiness reviews and Mission Management Team meetings. This includes flight risk posture coordination, contingency response coordination and EHO mission management support;
- providing real-time ESA IMC shift support for dynamic ISS, PAM and ESA-led commercial flight operations events and selected activities involving ESA career and project astronauts. This also includes liaison support for the planning and execution of missions or increments that include ESA astronauts and/or ESA cargo and contingency operations;
- assisting other EHO-supported programmes, at the request of the EHO Team Lead, in the definition and future planning and execution of operations;
- assisting ESA programmes in the areas of export control, multi- and bilateral arrangements and agreements, as well as in ESA/NASA barter discussions, as required.
This is an operational role, and you may be required to be on call and/or support meetings outside normal working hours and/or during holidays.
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 in a relevant domain is required for this post.
Additional requirements
- Excellent communication skills, good networking skills, a goal- and solution-oriented approach to work, and the capacity for forward thinking.
- Technical command of human spaceflight operations and liaison competency.
- Good knowledge and understanding of collaborative HRE ESA/NASA LEO programmes, with a focus on ISS design, operations, procedures and tools.
- Sound knowledge of NASA commercial crew vehicle design and operations, mission management support and risk posture evaluation.
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.
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.
When short-listing for an interview, priority will first be given to internal candidates.
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.
Nearest Major Market: Houston