Science Operations Scientist

Description

The European Space Agency maintains a world-leading Science Program with missions in heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics and fundamental physics. The Department for Science and Operations (SCI-S), in ESA's Directorate of Science, hosts the scientists and engineers that oversee the space missions from study to end of operations; it develops the science operations systems for the missions and operates the missions in space; and it archives and curates their data during operations and beyond. Our main objective is to maximize the scientific output of the missions for the benefit of humankind.
As part of its collaboration with NASA on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), ESA is providing scientists who will join the ESA Office at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScl) and be deployed for different functions to support HST science operations. As Science Operations Scientist, you will ensure that the HST science instruments (COS, STIS, WFC3 or ACS) obtain high-quality astronomical data, that calibrations are optimized to allow scientific interpretation of the data, and that the HST user community has the information and documentation needed to optimize scientific use of the HST instruments.

Duties

Specific tasks for this post include:

• Instrument performance verification and optimization, including generating calibration plans and proposals, performing advanced analysis of calibration data, reviewing calibration products, and making them available to operational system or support instrument anomaly investigations.
• Investigation of techniques for improving the scientific output of the science instruments, including algorithms and requirements for data analysis systems and calibration pipelines.
• Service to the user community which includes general user support and contact scientist responsibilities, providing technical coordination to users on all aspects of their programs, ranging from proposal implementation through data analysis.
• Generation of technical reports and user documentation, and ability to provide reports and presentations, on all areas related to the science instruments.
• Support, as required, to the ESA Office leadership at STScI for a variety of tasks related to the interface with the European astronomical community.

In addition to the above duties, you are expected to continue to carry out a robust, active and independent research program, preferably aligned with the scientific capabilities of HST, JWST and/or other ESA missions and to actively contribute to scientific life in the ESA Science Department and at STScI.

Technical competencies

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

A PhD or equivalent qualification in astronomy, physics or a related discipline is required for this post.

Additional requirements

You should also have:

• Established collaborations with European and international scientists, and the potential to expand these in the future externally and within ESA;
• The potential to manage individuals or teams of diverse expertise and backgrounds;
• The ability to manage challenging situations proactively and constructively and to be customer focused.

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