Junior Professional in Lunar Exploration Navigation Systems

Description

The Lunar Resource Lander Team is responsible for the development of landing subsystems and surface payloads from various partners to be flown on lunar missions. The objectives are to flight-prove technologies and capabilities for future exploration missions like the European Large Logistics Lander (EL3), and to gain knowledge to plan safe, effective and efficient human exploration at the Moon. 

Our main programme is a cooperative endeavour between ESA and the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) on their Luna-27 mission (planned for launch in 2025). The European contributions encompass an autonomous precise and safe landing system (PILOT-L27) and a low-temperature drilling system together with a sample analysis instrument (PROSPECT-L27). Phase C of these elements began in 2020/2021 including detailed design, engineering models manufacturing and extensive testing in various facilities, contracted to different European industries.

 
Other versions of PILOT and PROSPECT are being developed for other missions, including of commercial landing service providers.  
The team is also supporting feasibility studies of future lunar missions as well as related technological activities.

As a Junior Professional in our team, you will focus on the technical aspects of the development of a landing navigation and hazard detection solution (PILOT) for the Roscosmos Luna-27 mission and for other flight opportunities.

Duties

You will oversee the preparation of the design, qualification, and flight of PILOT products at functional and system level. 

Daily, the work consists in organising and following up the activities in progress in industry from a technical, activities logic and schedule point of view while managing the interfaces with mission partners to ensure both can progress consistently, and to secure that ESA objectives are met. 

The duties will include active participation in configuration, qualification and delivery reviews. In this context, you will be required to perform extra verification with a substantial degree of autonomy: analysis and simulation tools (shadow engineering) dealing with descent and landing problematics (including absolute and relative visual navigation, navigation filter, hazard detection and avoidance functions) will have to be developed and/or existing tools further enhanced and adapted.

Owing to the late phases of development, you will have to deal with unforeseen events in a manufacturing, testing and flight follow-up context, and be trained on the job on troubleshooting and proposing quick and efficient solutions to the problems encountered in demanding operational environments.

The competences acquired during these phases of development (Phase C/D) will culminate in a system view that will benefit the future development of exploration systems. 

You will also be involved in the setting up of new activities and in requirements engineering in the framework of other flight opportunities (e.g. in the commercial area). 

In addition, you will be in charge of keeping a constant watch on technological developments in the navigation and lunar exploration domains.

Development programme

In addition to your daily work, you will take part in an extensive learning and development programme. From day one, you will learn on the job and benefit from tailored development opportunities, including explosure to different business areas of ESA and participation in technical and key skills training courses.

On top of this, you will have additional training to build up specific skills and knowledge as well as all the support you need to pursue your career in ESA.

As part of this assignment, taking your profile into account and with a view to boosting your professional experience and knowledge of the European Space Agency, you may be offered rotational assignment(s) of 3–6 months in the Systems Department of the ESA Technical Directorate, in particular the Guidance, Navigation & Control Section and in the SW, System & Functional verification Section.

The development areas will include:

• the ability to make critical analyses of design and verification choices as proposed by industry, and work out alternatives, when necessary;
• the skills to negotiate with partners the technical terms and to secure ESA’s interests;
• the capabilities to efficiently initiate, set-up and lead working groups; 
• the experience to work with TEC experts and other ESA colleagues, and to make the most of the competences present at ESA;
• knowledge of the way ESA interacts with the different stakeholders; and 
• collection of lessons learned to efficiently prepare for the future.

Technical competencies

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

Education

A Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering with a specialisation in Avionics/GNC and Vision-based Navigation is required for this position

Additional requirements

You should have between two and three years of professional experience, preferably in a relevant technical domain, after completion of your Master's degree.

Participation in one of ESA ‘s entry-level programmes, i.e. Young Graduate Trainee, National Trainee, or Research Fellow Programmes, will be recognised as eligible experience.

Specificities

The ESA Junior Professional Programme has a forward-looking perspective. Subject to confirmed good performance, both technically and behaviourally, it is the intention to offer you a permanent contract at the end of the three years. As such, this initiative represents a significant investment by ESA in your personal and professional development. The programme is designed to provide you with the required knowledge and skills in order to ensure an optimal match, and to allow you to fulfil your role as effectively as possible. You can expect to be given many opportunities to develop your professional experience and competencies, to learn from ESA experts and to contribute to ESA activities.

Recruitment will take place at the A1 grade. You can expect to be upgraded to A2 at the end of the fourth year, if you are offered a permanent position at the end of your Junior Professional assignment.