Archive Scientist

Villanueva

Organization: ESA - European Space Agency
Location: Villanueva
Grade: Junior level - A2 - Grade band
Occupational Groups:
- Library Science
- Scientist and Researcher
- Documentation and Information Management
Closing Date: Closed

Vacancy in the Directorate of Science.

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, beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. Applications from women are encouraged.

This post is classified A2-A4 on the Coordinated Organisations’ salary scale.

Location
ESAC, Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain

Description

The European Space Agency maintains a world-leading Science Programme Our Missions - Cosmos (esa.int) with missions in heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics and fundamental physics. The Department for Science and Operations (SCI-S), within ESA's Directorate for Science, host the scientists and engineers that oversee the space missions from study to end of operations and legacy phase; it develops the science operation systems for the missions and operates the missions in space; it archives and curates their data during operations and beyond. Our main objective is to maximise the scientific output of the missions for the benefit of humankind.

In this position, you will be assigned as Science Lead of the Heliophysics Archive with responsibility for its overall scientific coordination (~half of your time). You will further provide scientific support to one or more of ESA’s heliophysics missions (such as Cluster, SMILE, Solar Orbiter, Proba-3, etc.) as Archive or Project Scientist, as a function of your past experience and interests.

You will report to the Head of the ESAC Science Data Centre (SCI-SAA) within the Data Science and Archives Division (SCI-SA). You will have further functional reporting lines within the mission(s) you support.

Duties

As the Science Lead for the Heliophysics Archives, you will be responsible for defining and implementing an innovative science-driven strategy for the archives of the Heliophysics missions – overseeing the archives development and operations and promoting the usage of the archives by the scientific community with the objective of maximising their overall scientific output.
You will work in close collaboration with the Heliophysics missions’ Project Scientists, the individual Heliophysics missions’ Archive Scientists, the Data Centre Systems Engineer and with the members of the Heliophysics Archives Users Group.

In your role as Archive or Project Scientist, you will provide science expertise in support of one of the ESA heliophysics mission, adapted to your background and interests.

Specific responsibilities of the Science Lead for the Heliophysics Archives include:

defining and implementing an innovative and science-driven strategy for ESA’s Heliophysics Archives, in coordination with the other missions’ Archives Scientists and in line with the Department’s overall strategy for the archives;
coordinating with the relevant stakeholders from heliophysics missions (Heliophysics Archives Users Group, Archive scientists, Project Scientists, Mission/Development managers and Science Operation Centres), to develop guidelines for long-term preservation of data, their access and exploitation, and for facilitating multi-mission heliophysics science research;
actively promoting cooperation with the International Heliophysics Data Environment Alliance, with external partner space agencies and with the scientific community;

Responsibilities related to the Archive or Project Scientist role for a heliophysics mission:

A Project Scientist ensures that the maximum scientific return from a mission is maintained as a target throughout all phases (study, development, operations, archiving),;
Externally, the Project Scientist defines and implements the science requirements with the mission Science Study Team or Science Working Team and liaises with the science community at large;
Internally, the Project Scientist interfaces on all scientific matters between internal study, development, and operations teams on the one hand, and external scientific teams, partners, and the community on the other;
Together, the Archive Scientist and Project Scientist define the necessary requirements for implementation of the mission Archive;
The Archive Scientist owns the user requirements for the mission archive, provides the science drivers for the mission archive and determines the priorities for the archive development;
The Archive Scientist drives the development of the mission archive, interfacing with all project stakeholders, providing the development team with the user requirements and linking them with the overall Heliophysics Archives strategy;
In both the Project Scientist and Archive Scientist role, you will be expected to promote the mission to the wider scientific community and to support broader communications, outreach, and education activities;

As a scientist in the Department, you are required to actively pursue personal scientific research and to participate actively in the Department’s research activities.

Technical competencies

Broad knowledge of the scientific discipline, including having a strategic vision of the area of heliophysics

Ability to lead disciplinary and inter-disciplinary groups of top experts

Science operations development, in particular regarding data management and archiving systems

Experience in science operations, preferably in the context of ESA missions

Experience in coordinating the scientific community and managing multiple interfaces at the international level

Experience in promoting science to the wider scientific community and general public

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

A PhD in heliophysics or space sciences is required.

Other information

For behavioural competencies expected from ESA staff in general, please refer to the ESA Competency Framework.

For further information please visit: Professionals,What we offerand FAQ

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.

The Agency may require applicants to undergo selection tests.

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 email contact.human.resources@esa.int.

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Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia.

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 or balanced Member States*. (https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/careers/NationalityTargets.pdf)

In accordance with the European Space Agency’s security procedures and as part of the selection process, successful candidates will be required to undergo basic screening before appointment conducted by an external background screening service.

Recruitment will normally be at the first grade in the band (A2); however, if the candidate selected has little or no experience, the position may be filled at A1 level.

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.

This vacancy is now closed.