Earth Observation Systems Architect Engineer

Job Details
Earth Observation Systems Architect Engineer

Job

Requisition

Date Posted: 11 June 2026

Closing Date: 2 July 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication:
Internal & External

Type of Appointment: 4 years, extendable to indefinite

Directorate:
Earth Observation Programmes

Workplace:
Noordwijk, NL

Grade Band: A2 - A4

Location:

ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Description
We are looking for an Earth Observation System Architect Engineer who will report to the Head of the System Architect Office. The European Earth observation ecosystem of today includes a range of programmatic foundations, including scientific research missions, operational missions, multilateral, national and commercial systems, Security and Resilience elements, non-orbiting platforms, and in-situ assets and their synergies. ESA requires a forward‑looking system‑of‑systems architectural framework for the 2040–2060 timeframe, not to replace the real‑world European EO ecosystem, but to offer a coherent, system‑level perspective to guide its strategic evolution.

This must build on existing and emerging scientific and engineering capabilities based on architectural simulation and evidence‑based foresighting approaches. Your work will map the EO programmatic vision of Member States and stakeholders and, using different scenarios for a future world, you will develop architectural approaches to optimise the future EO ecosystem and address evolving stakeholder and user needs.

By providing architectural coherence, reference capabilities and trusted coordination across institutional, national and commercial actors, ESA enables Europe to preserve scientific and operational credibility, policy relevance and strategic autonomy in an increasingly complex and contested environment. As part of your work, you will conduct simulations, periodic EO gap analyses and impact studies, and explore new and future remote sensing techniques.

Within the System Architect Office team and working across the Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes, you will foster the unique role of the European Space Agency as a neutral architect system engineer. You will develop and drive activities that will explore diverse architectural scientific and technical elements using complementary simulation and foresighting tools to critically assess new elements within the reference architecture.

Responsibilities

In close dialogue with users and stakeholders, develop and drive activities to explore diverse scientific and technical architectural elements to evolve and maintain a European Earth Observation Ecosystem Reference Architecture (blueprint) for the 2040–2060 timeframe.

Prepare new architectures addressing current and future paradigm shifts in Earth observation (e.g. driven by artificial intelligence/machine learning, in‑orbit compute, dual‑use scenarios, tip‑and‑cue strategies, small‑sat constellations, among others).

Assess scientific, operational, commercial and constellation approaches to European EO challenges in 2040‑2060+.

Architectural design options for EO security and resilience applications.

Prepare and conduct simulations and optimisations to support the formulation of architectural options for the European EO ecosystem, including trade‑off of different scenarios in terms of cost, risk, affordability and available programmatic lines to facilitate integration into existing infrastructure.

Leverage active external technical and scientific networks, explore new and future remote sensing techniques, permanently search for innovation and gather information on technology evolution, including benchmarking activities in relation to other organisations/systems.

Analyse technical and economic challenges and trends under new EO sector initiatives to assess the relevant feasibility.

Technical Competencies

Thorough knowledge of EO domains from remote sensing technologies to downstream science and applications.

Thorough knowledge of system‑of‑systems engineering and derivation of system architectures.

Knowledge of multi‑mission/constellation simulation tools in the Earth observation domain.

Knowledge of relevant strategic and technological trends and developments inside/outside the space EO…