Description

Mission Operations Security Officer in the Technical and Management Support Office, Mission Operations Department (OPS-O), Directorate of Operations (D/OPS), within the area of mission security.

The Technical and Management Support Office is responsible for providing expertise in mission security for the ground segment and operations to missions entrusted to ESOC or supported by D/OPS. For aspects relating to the mission operations security of other projects, support is provided on a case-by-case basis.

Within the Office, you will support missions with operational security aspects and will assist the leader of the team handling mission operations security and the Cyber Security Manager (CSM) in their mandates, identifying and supporting the implementation of ESA security policy for the missions operated by the Department as well as the operations preparations. You will also provide support for security-related matters to missions operated by institutional and commercial partners.

Duties

You will initially be assigned to supporting the OPS-O Mission Project/System Security Officers (PSSOs) and CSM in discharging their functions relating to operations security for the missions operated by OPS-O, with a view to taking up a PSSO role in the context of increasing demand for operations security engineering and coordination. Your duties may also include supporting projects and missions operated by ESA’s institutional and commercial partners in the domain of mission operations security. Under the coordination of the Mission Operations Security Team Lead, and interfacing with the team, your tasks will include interfacing from a customer perspective with the Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC) for functions relating to mission operations. 

Your tasks will include:

• supporting the Spacecraft Operations Managers/Heads of Unit to address operations security related matters such as certification and approvals, for example System Security Policy (SSP) renewal and endorsement;
• performing Mission Security Risk Assessment (SRA), assessing the security risks of the missions entrusted to the Department and the applicable security directives or requirements flowing down from the various projects;
• ensuring, for the missions supported, that Directorate and Agency-level security policies and procedures are fulfilled;
• providing engineering support for operations security-related matters, such as security audits, requirements development and the preparation of specific mission security operations procedures (SECOPS);
• assisting the OPS-O Cyber Security Manager and Mission Operations Security Team Lead in interfacing with the Cyber-Security Operations Centre and the dedicated team within the Mission Operations Infrastructure maintenance and operations team and, in particular, identifying mission operations security requirements for their implementation within the CSOC;
• assisting the Head of Office in the specification, development, validation, maintenance and evolution of the ground segment systems and operational products required to conduct mission operations;
• providing expertise and support to other areas within the Agency, industry, the user community, external centres and/or agencies in the domains of mission operations, ground segment and system validation, and space-to-ground interfaces;
• providing support to the Head of Office, Mission PSSO and Spacecraft Operations Managers for specific missions in discharging their mandates and preparing for new missions to be operated or supported by the Department. This may include participation in reviews, preparations and operations of other missions delegated to the Office, the Department or its Divisions and support to other D/OPS or ESA activities;
• deputising upon request for the Mission Operations Security Team Lead, for example by taking over the role of Mission PSSO.

Technical competencies

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

A master’s degree in a STEM subject is required for this post.

Additional requirements

You must be eligible for personal security clearance by the relevant national authorities. Security certifications such as CISSP or CISM and PSC would be an asset.
Experience in security engineering and standards, preferably applied to space, is mandatory. Experience in managing the human factor of information security, in ground segment design, operations and mission planning and scheduling aspects, as well as knowledge and direct experience in both spacecraft platform and subsystem operations are considered assets for the position.
Flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to prioritise tasks in a multi-subject/multi-project operational environment are required.