AOCS Systems and Pointing Engineering Support

We are looking for multiple AOCS Systems and Pointing Engineers to complete our consultants Workforce Management Service to support the ​Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC), Attitude and Orbit Control Systems (AOCS) and Pointing division​ of the European Space Agency (ESA) at their location in ​Noordwijk, the Netherlands​.

The Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC), Attitude and Orbit Control Systems (AOCS) and Pointing division is responsible to provide engineering support for all aspects of AOCS and GNC systems for ESA missions and programmes, including AOCS and GNC subsystem architecture, specification, design, tuning, verification and validation and qualification, AOCS and GNC hardware development and procurement, AOCS and GNC subsystems integration, pointing engineering, Failure Detection Isolation and Recovery (FDIR) for AOCS and GNC  systems, as well as to define and implement technical research and development activities in the domain of AOCS, GNC and Pointing. 

The selected candidate may additionally be appointed to the role of Service Manager, subject to relevant experience and operational needs.

Please note, the successful candidate will be employed by ATG Europe (or one of its subsidiaries). Furthermore, upon selection, they will be subject to a general security screening performed by an external provider (further information will be provided at the interview stage).

ATG is dedicated to diversity and inclusion and is an equal opportunity employer. Regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, or any other reason protected by relevant state or municipal legislation, we are pleased to consider all eligible candidates for employment.

The successful candidate will be tasked with, but not limited to:

Activity 1 - AOCS and Pointing Technical Support Engineering to Projects and Missions

• Support the definition of AOCS requirements and contribute to the elaboration of System/Mission Requirements related to AOCS domain;

• Support analyses and trade-offs for AOCS systems, software, and hardware units;

• Support execution of AOCS and Pointing performance analyses and performance budgeting;

• Support monitoring the industrial activities concerning design and development of AOCS systems, software, and hardware units for ESA projects;

• Support the Review of the project documentation as produced throughout the project lifetime in the area of AOCS and Pointing engineering, as well as interface documented information from System and spacecraft subsystems;

• Develop and maintain the engineering support tools needed for the above AOCS and Pointing tasks and activities;

• Support the procurement of AOCS hardware units for AOCS subsystem (trade-off, requirements definition, participation to hardware reviews, keypoints)

• Support the verification and validation process of AOCS systems throughout all project phases;

• Support provision of expertise in the AOCS and Pointing disciplines to the AIT and AIV processes and to in-flight activities (e.g. LEOP, commissioning, in-flight anomaly investigations);

• Contribute to definition, analysis, and verification of AOCS-level and system-level Fault Detection Isolation and Recovery (FDIR);

• Support provision of AOCS and Pointing expertise in feasibility studies and project Reviews.

Activity 2 - AOCS and Pointing Engineering in R&D Programmes and Activities

• Support definition of AOCS and Pointing technology development needs and work plans for ESA's technology programmes;

• Support the ESA staff in defining, initiating and managing AOCS and Pointing R&D activities covering both long- and short-term needs;

• Support in R&D activity reviews and meetings and reporting on the R&D activity development, progress and planning;

• Support the dissemination of the results of the AOCS and Pointing activities performed and the transfer of knowledge across the Agency;

• Introduce any lesson learnt, important information and results from R&D developments, Project support and hands-on activities in relation to AOCS and Pointing;

• Provide support during execution of R&D activities for mission enabling AOCS system concepts, AOCS simulation modelling, AOCS systems model-based engineering, machine learning application to AOCS systems, and advanced guidance, control, navigation/estimation, and optimization techniques.

Activity 3 - Support Engineering to the AOCS and Pointing Systems Facilities

• Support laboratory activities to evaluate and prototype new AOCS systems, functions/algorithms and sensors;

• Assist ongoing projects with the design implementation, prototyping, testing, evaluation, benchmarking, debugging, and validation on the corresponding facility;

• Perform integration, functional and performance testing of relevant hardware and software elements in the facility;

• Support recording, analysis and documentation of test and validation activities and test results, including equipment setup and configuration, and failure incidents;

• Support the management of the planning of the facility accounting for priorities given by the WP Technical Responsible;

• Service provider personnel shall comply with the ESA Quality Management System Support definition and development of in-flight experiments to de-risk AOCS systems or their elements.