VN 25/38 Ground Segment System Engineering Team Leader โ Copernicus missions
The Copernicus Ground Segment System Engineering Team Leader will manage all system engineering activities related to the maintenance and evolution of the EUMETSAT Copernicus operational ground segments. The successful candidate will be the technical authority for ground segments and system aspects in operational Copernicus programmes, maintaining and developing cutting edge technologies and constellations.
Specifically, the position will support and coordinate the ground segment and system level engineering regarding several Sentinel missions, and in future also for the upcoming CO2M mission, The successful candidate will work in a team of system engineers, and interacts with GEO, LEO and Copernicus teams in Operations and in Engineering.
Duties
- Manage a multidisciplinary ground segment system engineering team and its activities, including management of resources and priorities;
- Provide engineering support to the maintenance of the Copernicus operational ground segments and, in particular lead the system engineering of upgrades responding to evolving operational userโs needs whilst promoting system awareness, coherence and consistency across ground segments;
- Define, coordinate and implement the system-level IV&V testing approach for major evolutions and support the transition into Operations of newly developed Copernicus ground segments (or parts of them);
- Maintain the overall system architecture and interface coherence for all Copernicus operational ground systems. This includes the maintenance of a complete and consistent set of system level documentation, like requirements documents, requests for Waiver/Deviations, interface control documents (ICDs), architectural models, technical budgets, IV&V plans, etc;
- Coordinate the procurement of industrial support and service firms and management of the contractor during the execution of the activities;
- Provide reporting and management support to the Ground Segment System Engineering Competence Area manager.
LOCATION Darmstadt, Germany
QUALIFICATIONS
University Degree (or equivalent) in a relevant technical discipline
LANGUAGES
The official languages of EUMETSAT are English and French. Candidates must be able to work effectively in English and have some knowledge of French
DEADLINE
21 July 2025
Duties
- Manage a multidisciplinary ground segment system engineering team and its activities, including management of resources and priorities;
- Provide engineering support to the maintenance of the Copernicus operational ground segments and, in particular lead the system engineering of upgrades responding to evolving operational userโs needs whilst promoting system awareness, coherence and consistency across ground segments;
- Define, coordinate and implement the system-level IV&V testing approach for major evolutions and support the transition into Operations of newly developed Copernicus ground segments (or parts of them);
- Maintain the overall system architecture and interface coherence for all Copernicus operational ground systems. This includes the maintenance of a complete and consistent set of system level documentation, like requirements documents, requests for Waiver/Deviations, interface control documents (ICDs), architectural models, technical budgets, IV&V plans, etc;
- Coordinate the procurement of industrial support and service firms and management of the contractor during the execution of the activities;
- Provide reporting and management support to the Ground Segment System Engineering Competence Area manager.
Skills and Experience
- Solid experience in the engineering and maintenance of operational systems, and with direct experience in IV&V for systems operated in a 24/7 environment;
- Proven experience in leading, coordinating and developing system engineering teams during the operational phase;
- Proficiency and experience in the definition and implementation of engineering processes for sustaining, maintaining and evolving operational systems;
- Knowledge of formal methods for system specification (SysML) as well as experience in the use of related products/tools, and standards relevant for system engineering (e.g. ECSS);
- Strong interpersonal, leadership and communications skills, and preferably experience operating within a matrix environment.
Employment Conditions
The initial contract will be of 4 yearsโ duration, with subsequent 5 year contracts being awarded thereafter, subject to individual performance and organisation requirements. There is no limit to the amount of follow-up contracts a staff member can receive up to the EUMETSAT retirement age of 63 and there are certainly opportunities to establish a long career perspective at EUMETSAT.
This post is graded A2/A4 on the EUMETSAT salary scales. The minimum basic salary for this post is EURO 7340 per month (net of internal tax but excluding pension contribution and insurances) which may be negotiable on the basis of skills and experience. The salary scale provides for increments on the anniversary of taking up employment, and scales are reviewed by the EUMETSAT Council with effect from 1 January each year. In addition to basic salary, EUMETSAT offers attractive benefits. Further information, including salary details, is available on the EUMETSAT web site.
EUMETSAT is committed to providing an equal opportunities work environment for men and women.
Please note that only nationals of EUMETSAT Member States may apply. The EUMETSAT Convention requires that Staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, account being taken of the international character of EUMETSAT.About EUMETSAT
EUMETSAT is Europeโs meteorological satellite agency. Its role is to establish and operate meteorological satellites to monitor the weather and climate from space - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This information is supplied to the National Meteorological Services of the organisation's Member States in Europe, as well as other users worldwide.
EUMETSAT also operates several Copernicus missions on behalf of the European Union and provide data services to the Copernicus marine and atmospheric services and their users.
As an intergovernmental European Organisation, EUMETSAT has 30 Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.)