Description

RF Payload Engineer in the RF Payload Engineering and Digital Equipment Section, RF Payloads and Technology Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

The RF Payload Engineering and Digital Equipment Section provides functional support to ESA projects and carries out technological research (R&D) in the field(s) of telecommunication payloads and subsystems, microwave and millimetre wave remote sensing instruments and navigation payloads exploiting analogue, digital and optical on-board technologies. Additionally, the Section covers the research, design, development and testing of radio frequency digital equipment as well as payload signal and data processing techniques for RF payloads and microwave remote sensing instruments.

Duties

If selected for this position, reporting to the Head of Section and within the technical fields described above, your main tasks and responsibilities will include:

• providing expert technical support and consultancy to ESA projects, programmes and general studies in the field of RF payloads throughout all project phases, including RF payloads based on digital on-board processing;
• contributing to the overall architectural definition, specification, development and verification of future RF payloads and microwave/millimetre-wave instruments, including the assessment of new concepts, digital signal processing techniques and applications of new RF and digital technologies;
• assessing new concepts, architectures, technologies and (digital on-board) processing techniques to be applied to the next generation of RF payloads and microwave and millimetre waves instruments;
• defining the technological requirements of RF payloads and microwave instruments, including digital on-board processing payload equipment, in co-operation with ESA’ specialists in the various domains;
• participating in feasibility studies, project reviews and the evaluation of procurement proposals;
• identifying critical development problems and assisting in their resolution;
• contributing to the definition of technology development requirements and work plans for the Agency’s technology programmes in the field of RF payloads and microwave instruments, including digital processing equipment;
• defining, initiating and managing R&D activities covering both long- and short-term needs;
• fostering new application areas for multidisciplinary activities, placing emphasis on innovative concepts, cutting-edge technologies and system architectures;
• laboratory activities as required;
• monitoring applicable scientific and technological trends and maintaining state-of-the-art expertise;
• contributing to the dissemination of the results of the activities performed and the transfer of knowledge across the Agency;
• supervising students and trainees in the analysis, simulation and development of advanced concepts in the technical domain of the Section.

Your duties may also include supporting other activities within your field of competence.
 

Technical competencies

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

A Master’s degree in Telecommunications, Electronics or RF/Microwave engineering is required for this post.

Additional requirements

A very good understanding of RF payloads for space applications (e.g. navigation, telecommunications and Earth observation), including functionality, architectures and key performance parameter specification and evaluation is required.

Experience in the design, development and verification of RF payloads for space applications is required.

Very good knowledge of on-board digital signal processing techniques and technologies for RF payloads and microwave instruments will be considered an asset.

Very good knowledge of modern computer systems, simulation and modelling tools, programming languages, signal processing techniques and technologies is required.

A number of years of professional experience in the technical domains required for this position will be considered an asset.