Description

If successfully recruited for this post, you will, under the direct authority of the Research and Payloads Group Leader and with respect to delegated responsibilities and funds, be responsible for managing the ESA E3P SciSpacE science element and the assigned resources.
The SciSpacE element of the HRE Terrae Novae programme covers a wide range of platforms and destinations, such as ground-based research facilities, drop tower, parabolic flights, sounding rockets, ISS (and other future LEO platforms), Lunar Gateway, Moon and Mars.

This position places strong emphasis on intensive interaction and collaboration within the Research and Payloads Group, specifically the payload development and utilisation planning teams, as well as with several other Directorate-internal organisational units. Planning and delivering are performed by different teams: the utilisation planning team and the operational implementation teams.

In carrying out your duties, you will be supported by and manage a team of Science Coordinators, Project Scientists, Young Graduates and Internal Research Fellows. In addition, you will supervise and coordinate the activities of the support services of the team

Duties

• Managing the team workforce, ensuring a positive and motivating working environment;
• Distributing and assigning tasks to the team members, monitoring and managing performance and providing timely and regular feedback;
• Maintaining and developing the expertise and technical competencies of the team members to meet current and future strategic needs, taking due account of their motivation, aspirations and professional development;
• Supporting the Group leader and working closely with the other Research and Payloads Team Leaders in defining a mid- to long-term SciSpacE research strategy in close coordination with the scientific community, specifically the Human spaceflight and Exploration Science Advisory Committee (HESAC), and with the Member States as customers;
• Preparing Science Management Plans and Announcements of Opportunity for open and targeted scientific and application-oriented research activities in full coordination with other Directorate-internal organisational units, as required and appropriate;
• Preparing and maintaining the SciSpacE Roadmap and managing the short- and mid-term implementation, acting as a proxy for scientists in defining the end-to-end scientific requirements of individual experiments and payloads and documenting them in the Activity Requirements Document (ARD);
• Organising and coordinating project scientist support for the payload development teams;
• Providing project scientist advice and guidance to the Planning, Integration and Increment Management functions;
• Organising and coordinating project scientist support for commercial research and utilisation projects as needed;
• Fostering cooperation with other agencies and research organisations;
• Systematically monitoring, reporting and evaluating the scientific accomplishments of the research activities, including ISS and non-ISS platforms;
• Supporting the data archiving and dissemination activities;
• Supporting the communication of outcomes from the Group’s research to stakeholders and the general public;
• Supporting the development of a cross-Agency community of scientists and, where feasible, actively pursuing high quality research;
• Providing Secretariat services for relevant working groups of the ESA science advisory structure (PSWG, LSWG, SSEWG, and others, or their successors);
• Providing the overall coordination and monitoring of the Directorate Research Fellow recruitment campaigns and supporting D/HRE in the prioritisation of the radio frequency activities, in coordination with the SCI/HRE Science and Exploration Senior Advisor (SCI-A) and related HR services.

Technical competencies

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

A PhD in science or engineering is required for this post.

Additional requirements

Applicants for this position should have a PhD in a related scientific area with experience of programme or project management. In the selection, emphasis will be placed on sound knowledge of processes and challenges related to science management, space/science hardware development and human spaceflight. Further knowledge of, or experience of working in, space programmes of other national and/or international agencies would be considered a strong asset.

Applicants are required to have high-level communication and negotiation skills as well as a proven capability to establish and maintain professional networks at all levels, a strong focus on outcomes and results, and the ability to show their interest in innovation and creativity in research.

You should also have:

• the potential to manage individuals or a team;
• the ability to organise their activities and ensure a motivating work environment;
• strong leadership capabilities, with proven relationship management and communication skills;
• the ability to drive your team’s performance, developing your people by encouraging learning, delegating responsibility and giving regular and constructive feedback;
• 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.

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