ADRIOS Servicing Performance Manager

Description

With its Space Safety Programme, ESA is committed to leading the way in the circular economy in space. This is achieved, among other things, through the ADRIOS (Active Debris Removal [ADR] and In-Orbit Servicing [IOS]) missions, which aim to establish viable ADR and IOS capabilities and services in Europe, such as rendezvous, inspection, capture, life extension, relocation, de-orbiting or repair of satellites. Such innovative approaches contribute to guaranteeing the safe use of Earth orbits for future generations, reducing space debris and promoting the reuse and recycling of space assets. 

The Space Safety Missions Office of the Space Safety Programme Office is responsible for the implementation, i.e. Phase B2/C/D/E, of the ADRIOS missions, for example RISE.  

The RISE mission is an ambitious project with a lifetime of several years, designed to push the boundaries of in-orbit servicing. RISE will demonstrate Attitude and Orbital Control System (AOCS) takeover of an active geostationary satellite after performing rendezvous and capturing it in a fully autonomous manner. Once this initial demonstration is completed, RISE will go on to service its first paying customer, highlighting the practical and commercial application of the capability in space.

The ADRIOS missions often involve companies that are relatively new in the space field and have ambitions for the private market, requiring that the ESA project teams provide specific expertise and follow a pragmatic approach. 

This role offers the opportunity to contribute to pioneering space sustainability technologies within the Space Safety Programme, enabling the future of satellite servicing, debris mitigation, and sustainable orbital operations.

Duties

The ADRIOS Servicing Performance Manager will be responsible for the system performance definition, monitoring, verification and validation of one or more missions providing active debris removal and in-orbit services. 

You will fulfil a cross-cutting role in the project, coordinating the various elements of the space and ground segments to ensure that the services the mission(s) offer are viable and that their detailed performance requirements of interest to present and future clients are met. 

You will report to the Project Manager(s) and will work in close collaboration with the System Technical Lead(s). 

Your key responsibilities will include:

Technical Execution 

• Maintain the service, mission and system-level requirements;
• Responsibility for the requirement allocation, its flow-down to the relevant contributors, the associated margins, their evolution and their verification;
• Analyse the status of compliance with the service performance requirements led by industry and propose corrective actions in the event of of deviation;
• Support the Project Manager and the System Technical Lead in:
  • overseeing the trade-offs that have a major impact on the final performance of the services offered by the mission;
  • reviewing design and interfaces at system and architecture/functional level;
  • monitoring the development by industry, including assembly and integration;
  • ensuring proper verification/validation and acceptance methods are proposed and implemented;

with a particular focus on the rendezvous and proximity operations and the systems and functions they involve, such as GNC, the robotic capture system, dedicated simulators and testing facilities.

• Interact with industry to understand its vision concerning the future evolution of the services it wishes to offer and the related performance requirements;
• Interface with potential clients if needed;
• Lead additional development and competitiveness activities in view of future services as needed;
• Understand the needs of industry concerning time to market and the recurring price of its services and ensure they are considered in the technical approach taken by the ESA project team, including experts from the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality in order to achieve effective execution.

Management

• Support the Project Manager(s) and the Technical System Lead(s) in relation to risk identification and mitigation;
• Support the Project Manager(s) in relation to schedule management; contribute to the control of the schedule and propose schedule risk mitigation recovery actions when needed;
• Support the Project Manager(s) in relation to cost control;
• Identify and prioritise points for attention together with the Technical System Lead(s) and report regularly to the Project Manager(s);
• Apply pragmatic decision-making processes to balance ideal solutions with project constraints;
• Support non-conformance management, as well as change management and put in place early recovery actions when necessary;
• Participate actively in reviews;
• Share experience and knowledge with industry in a constructive and result-oriented manner;
• Capture and share the lessons learned with other missions of the Division, and with the Cleanspace and Circular Economy Office.

Technical competencies

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

A master's degree in engineering or a related field is required for this post together with 4 years of relevant professional experience.

Additional requirements

Experience with:

• implementing missions with tight schedules and low price constraints;
• taking a pragmatic approach to applying the ECSS;

would be an asset.

You should also:

• have an interest in working with companies that are relatively new in the space field;
• be capable of working autonomously, using initiative and taking a hands-on approach;
• show strong leadership capabilities, with proven relationship management and communication skills;
• be able to anticipate problems and demonstrate flexibility to seek solutions and make pragmatic and timely decisions;
• be result-oriented with the ability to set priorities.