Software Product Assurance Engineer

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This is a fixed-term appointment with an initial duration of 4 years. Depending upon performance and organisational needs, the appointment may be extended up to a possible maximum duration of 8 years. 

 

Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands 

Description

You will be assigned as Software Product Assurance Engineer in the Software Product Assurance (PA) Section, Quality and Product Assurance Management Division, Quality Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

The Section provides functional support to ESA projects and is responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of software produce assurance expertise and standards. It carries out technological research (R&D) in software PA requirements, techniques, methodologies and tools. It also collaborates on standardisation and training activities.

Duties

Reporting to the Head of Section, your main tasks and responsibilities will include:

 

• providing expert technical support and consultancy to ESA projects, including involvement in projects’ major reviews and, where applicable, boards and panels;
• supporting projects in monitoring contractor software product assurance programme execution to ensure compliance with software product assurance requirements;
• preparing and implementing general programmatic and technical software product assurance requirements aligned with Agency standards and specifications;
• establishing project-specific programmatic and technical software product assurance requirements based on the ESA product assurance baseline;
• supporting projects in evaluating contractor documentation and efforts proposed for the execution of software product assurance programmes;
• evaluating proposed concepts, designs and operations for compliance with defined software product assurance requirements, in order to include the performance of associated audits;
• defining, initiating and managing R&D activities relating to software product assurance requirements, techniques, methodologies and tools, covering long- and short-term needs;
• supporting and, at the request of line management, participating in the Directorate’s R&D activities;
• auditing contractors and their in-house standards for compliance with ESA requirements, assessing the maturity of their software processes;
• liaising with related engineering and PA specialists regarding overlapping areas of activity;
• monitoring applicable scientific and technological trends and maintaining state-of-the-art expertise.

Technical competencies

Understanding of related technologies and R&D trends and familiarity with the industrial landscapeProject support experience in a relevant domainExperience with the application of software product assurance and ASIC/FPGA product assurance requirements, tools and methods Experience in the management and monitoring of industrial activities, including participation in reviewsExperience with Space Quality Standards and their preparation and implementation

Behavioural competencies

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

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook
 

Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in computer science, software engineering or a similar discipline is required for this post, together with five years of relevant professional experience.

Additional requirements

Experience in at least three of the following areas: software product assurance in critical real-time applications; software engineering; software configuration management; dependability assessment of software-intensive systems; software development and maintenance; software process assessment and auditing.

Some knowledge in the following areas will be considered an asset:

• Agile practices;
• Quality assurance for machine learning models;
• Big data software architectures and life cycles;
• Data quality assurance;
• Software verification and validation;
• ASIC/FPGA product assurance;
• Cyber security assurance;
• Hands-on experience of static code analysis and tools;
• Alternative software development life cycles, continuous integration and tools.

 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness 
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, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. 

At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us via email at contact.human.resources@esa.int.

 
Important Information and Disclaimer
In principle, recruitment will be within the advertised grade band (A2-A4). However, if the selected candidate has less than four years of relevant professional experience following the completion of the master’s degree, the position may be filled at A1 level.

Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations & eligible to acquire the security clearance by their national security administrations.

During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.

Note that ESA is in the process of transitioning to a Matrix setup, which could lead to organisational changes affecting this position.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have. 

 

Nationality and Languages 
Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia. 

According to the ESA Convention, staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, taking into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the Member States.

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.