Ground Segment and User Terminal Procurement Coordinator

Location: Noordwijk

Ground Segment and User Terminal Procurement Coordinator
Job

Requisition

Date Posted: 12 May 2026

Directorate:
Connectivity and Secure Communications

Ground Segment and User Terminal Procurement Coordinator in D2D Projects in the LEO Satellites Programme Office within the Satellite Programmes Department in the Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communications.

Reporting to the D2D Mission Procurement Manager you will coordinate the definition, development, integration, validation and operational readiness of the ground segment, including user terminals and software elements, facilitating commercial services supporting the ESA D2D Partnership Projects including ELEOSYS and SELYCE.

Non‑Terrestrial Network (NTN) connectivity for Direct‑to‑Device (D2D) presents one of the greatest potential growth opportunities in satellite communications. The objective of the D2D partnership projects is to design, develop, qualify, integrate and validate innovative satellite payload, platform and ground network technologies using ESA Member States’ supply chain solutions in a pre‑operational system showcasing emerging D2D services.

Duties
Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

leading all engineering activities related to the procurement, specification, design, development, qualification, acceptance and validation of the ground segment elements, within the agreed schedule, cost and technical requirements, including implementation of the applicable security requirements;

leading the engineering, manufacturing, assembly, integration and testing activities of the overall ground segment, including the organisation and management of ground segment reviews;

overseeing the transfer of ground segment systems to operations and supporting commissioning and routine operational phases, as well as evolutive maintenance and correction of in‑orbit anomalies;

ensuring consistency of requirements with detailed subsystem design, performance budgets and architectural choices;

ensuring correct application of ESA, international and national standards;

interfacing with industry counterparts to review contractors’ plans, system specifications, baseline system design, analyses and budgets, as well as implementation of activities;

interfacing with industry counterparts to review contractors’ trade‑offs, design drivers, technical and performance indicators, as well as internal and external system interfaces;

supporting ESA mission/system level reviews and contributing to subsystem and cross‑partner reviews;

representing the discipline in reviews, milestones and cross functional coordination meetings;

ensuring close coordination and support with other project team members and functions (including Product Assurance and Safety, Mission, Platform, Payload);

processing non‑conformances, software problem reports, waivers, deviations, requests for approval, anomalies and requirement closure data as well as supporting the evaluation of change notices within these terms of reference;

contributing to the ESA procurement process (requests for quotation/invitations to tender data pack, Technical Evaluation Board and negotiations);

monitoring proactively the overall project schedule, identifying risks and problem areas, providing assessments and proposing mitigation actions on both the industry and the ESA side;

identifying challenges and opportunities associated with system evolutions and proposing corresponding updates to the mission architecture and interfaces;

providing regular and ad‑hoc reporting to line management;

contributing to the project’s communication and promotion activities.

Several years of experience in satellite communications systems specification, design, development, verification, and end‑to‑end validation, ideally in the area of satellite constellations.

Several years of experience in ground network architecture and software for LEO telecommunication satellites.

Knowledge of ESA or large industrial procurement processes and contract negotiation.

Knowledge of complex project risk management, industrial costs and schedule control.

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