Description

Flight Software Engineer in the Flight Software Systems Section, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality (D/TEC).

You will join the Flight Software Systems Section which provides expert technical support for the development and functional verification and validation of the onboard software for all missions and satellites at ESA, i.e. space science, human and robotic exploration, Earth observation, connectivity and secure communications, navigation, space transportation, space engineering and technology, operations and space safety. The Section contributes to the success of ESA missions such as Rosetta, Galileo, Juice, Earth observation Copernicus missions, meteorological missions and many others.

The Section is also responsible for defining, initiating and managing technology research and development (R&D) activities in its field of expertise to ensure that future missions use state-of-the-art technologies efficiently. The aim is to guarantee the quality necessary for space systems and to enable increased functionality in a properly verified way (covering subjects such as software verification and validation methods and processes, modern software architectures and frameworks, new generation processors and model-based engineering).

The Section also participates actively in standardisation activities by influencing the evolution of the different applicable standards and by ensuring their proper application in ESA projects.

Duties

As Flight Software Engineer, you will participate in the specification, design, development and testing of the real-time embedded software onboard ESA’s spacecraft. You will support multiple programmes across ESA, from their definition phase till launch, in monitoring the relevant industrial activities, while also defining and implementing R&D activities. Your responsibilities will include:

Project support:

• providing specialist technical support for real-time embedded software systems, including flight software and the corresponding development and validation facilities.
• performing the technical monitoring of industrial activities performing the software development, including independent verification of industrial outputs, reviews and acceptance.
• monitoring the different functional verification and validation activities at satellite, subsystem and unit level.
• providing technical expertise in software system-related activities.
• participating in the evaluation of industrial proposals and in project reviews.

Technology activities:

• defining and implementing the technology programmes within the Section’s area of competence, in particular concerning software architectures, verification and validation, and modern engineering methods/tools to improve the development and verification processes for embedded software.
• contributing to the dissemination of the results of activities performed and knowledge transfer across the Agency. 

Standardisation activities:

• contributing as a technical expert in standardisation activities in the software systems domain.

Technical competencies

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

A master’s in computer science, electronics engineering, telecommunications or a related discipline is required for this post.

Additional requirements

• strong experience in real-time embedded software (e.g. SPARC LEON processors, ARM, RISC-V, multicore platforms, IMA/TSP and RTOS)
• knowledge of all phases of the software development lifecycle (e.g. requirements engineering, design, coding, verification and validation, functional validation at system level, support for operations and agile methodology)
• strong experience in software development projects (e.g. C/C++, Ada and assembly programming languages, software development environments, software validation facilities and ground testbeds and support equipment)
• proven experience in functional verification and validation activities (e.g. specification and development of test means and simulation models, definition of test plans, test specifications and test procedures, functional validation performed on avionics and instrument test benches and support for system validation test campaigns)
• spacecraft systems knowledge, and experience with software development for satellite platforms and/or payloads (e.g. experience with avionics subsystems and integrated flight hardware)
• proven experience in the management and monitoring of industrial activities (e.g. drafting of statements of work, user specifications, proposal evaluation, supplier interactions, monitoring progress and quality and acceptance) 
• proven experience with space software engineering standards and their application, or equivalent standards in other domains (experience with specific standards and guidelines such as ECSS-E-ST-40C, ECSS-Q-ST-80C, ISVV guide, ECSS-E-ST-70-41C, ECSS-E-ST-10C, ECSS Handbooks and Savoir specifications would be an additional asset)
• a good understanding of modern software engineering methods and tools, R&D trends and the industrial landscape (e.g. verification and validation methods and tools, code generation tools, model-based software engineering and agile development approaches).