Vacature Head

Head of On-Board Computers and Data Handling Section

Job Requisition ID: 18170

Closing Date: 15 December 2023 23:59 CET/CEST

Establishment: ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Directorate: Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality

Publication: Internal & External

Vacancy Type: Permanent

Date Posted: 24 November 2023

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.

Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Description

Head of the On-Board Computers and Data Handling Systems Section in the Data Systems, Microelectronics and Component Technology Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

Reporting to the Head of the Data Systems, Microelectronics and Component Technology Division, the Head of the On-Board Computers and Data Handling Section is responsible for the management of the Section, its resources and activities. In addition, the Head of Section will be required to carry out and to contribute to operational activities within the technical domains of the Section.

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• ensuring a positive and motivating working environment for the Section;
• managing the workforce of the Section with accountability for all resources and activities delegated to it;
• maintaining and developing the expertise and technical competence of the Section's members to meet current and future strategic needs, taking due account of their motivation, aspirations and professional development with appropriate opportunities for laboratory work;
• distributing and assigning the tasks of the Section to its members, monitoring and managing their performance and providing timely and regular feedback;
• anticipating and resolving sensitive or difficult situations, liaising with HR as required;
• negotiating, organising and coordinating the specialist support provided by the Section to ESA projects throughout all phases;
• organising and coordinating the R&D activities within the technical domains of the Section, in collaboration with other ESA groups such as Competence Domains, TEC sections, R&D offices and ESA projects;
• preparing resource requirements based on needs originating from both inside and outside the Section and resolving conflicting demands on the use of the resources available in the Section;
• establishing, developing and maintaining good working relationships and technical networks with users, project groups and other organisational bodies both inside and outside the Agency;
• contributing to the continuous improvement of working procedures and to the reflection on the evolution of the Section's role and activities;
• carrying out and contributing to operational activities within the technical domains of the Section;
• participating in system reviews of ESA projects as reviewer or panel/review chairperson;
• managing alerts/IPNs and lessons learned within the Section's technical purview;
• managing technical knowledge within the Section;
• fostering cooperation with industrial stakeholders to organise international technical workshops/conferences.

The Section covers the on-board data handling domain

It is, in particular, responsible for the following:

• platform and payload data handling and associated higher-level architectures (SAVOIR/ADHA);
• units such as on-board computers, mass memories, remote terminals/interface units, instrument control/computing/processing units*;
• digital and analogue signal processing electronics for platform and non-RF payloads;
• front-end acquisition and processing chain electronics*;
• on-board interfaces and associated protocols (high and low speed);
• platform functions-related data compression, encryption, decryption and data handling system security;
• end-to-end on-board data processing for platform and non-RF payloads including utilisation of machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies, COTS and RadHard/RadTol digital computing technologies.

Within the terms of reference of the Section, you will be responsible for:

• providing expert technical support and consultancy to all ESA projects, programmes and general studies in the technical domains of the Section, including project reviews;
• in line with anticipated technology trends and project needs, defining, promoting and implementing the Section's contributions to ESA technology programmes and R&D activities;
• supporting higher-level (Division, Department, Competence Domains) technology strategy planning and, based on the Section's domain of competence, coordinating part of the system requirements being developed under the responsibility of other areas in the Agency;
• supporting the activities of the relevant Competence Domains;
• standardisation activities in the technology domains covered by the Section;
• maintaining state-of-the-art expertise;
• managing the associated laboratory facilities.

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the on-board data handling domain, you will be expected to establish and maintain good working relationships and networks with experts from other related disciplines in the Directorate. You will also be responsible for identifying, assessing, managing and reporting the health and safety risks in your area of responsibility.

Experience in supporting ESA programmes/projects and knowledge of their technical and programmatic requirements in relevant technical domains

Knowledge of the industrial landscape in relevant technical domains and the ability to define technology development roadmaps identifying future trends in technology requirements

Experience in implementing and driving R&D activities, as well as knowledge of the ESA technology programmes

Resource management experience

Experience in ESA procurement processes and contract management, as well as applied negotiation skills

Education

A Master's in electronics, computer science or telecommunications is required for this post.

Functie:	head
Startdatum:	24-11-2023
Ervaring:	Ervaren
Educatielevel:	HBO
Contracttype:	Vast
Salaris:	onbekend – onbekend
Uren per week:	1 – 40

Heb je interesse in deze vacature en wil je graag op deze functie solliciteren? Neem dan contact op met ARES - (Association of Retired ESA Staff in Nederland). via onbekend of onbekend. Of bezoek hun website onbekend.