The European Space Agency (ESA) is seeking a Product Assurance and Safety Engineer in the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality, at ESTEC in Noordwijk, Netherlands. This is a fixed-term appointment of 4 years, extendable to indefinite, Grade Band A2-A4, Job Requisition ID 21106, posted 21 October 2026. The closing date is 11 November 2026 at 23:59 CET/CEST. No salary is stated on the source page.

Description: You will be assigned as a Product Assurance and Safety (PA&S) Engineer to the Exploration and Science PA&S Section, Product Assurance Management Division, Quality Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality. The Exploration and Science PA&S Section provides PA&S management and coordination for the missions and activities of the Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration and the Directorate of Science. Upon joining the section, you will assume the role of PA&S Engineer for the LISA Project and become part of the related Project Core Team. While reporting hierarchically to the Head of the Exploration and Science PA&S Section, you will report functionally to the LISA Project.

Duties: Support the Project PA&S Managers in establishing and maintaining the PA&S requirements baseline in compliance with ESA policies; ensuring implementation of the PA&S requirements by industry and other suppliers (for example, CFI providers), supporting milestone reviews and participating in verifying compliance with requirements; monitoring implementation of approved plans and specifications from industry and other suppliers, ensuring adequate resources are deployed for the PA&S programme; coordinating technical aspects of relevant service support and acting as the primary point of contact between service functions and project teams; planning, coordinating and monitoring support provided by the assigned PA&S workforce; participating in boards for the disposition of deviations from the requirements baseline (CCB) and changes to the agreed design; representing ESA in boards for the disposition of non-conformances and anomalies and the definition and monitoring of relevant corrective and preventive actions (NRB), failure investigations and project technical reviews (for example MRR, TRR, PTR or TRB); ensuring implementation of the reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS) programme and the software assurance programme, including support for design trade-off decisions and verification of requirements; monitoring selection, procurement and use of electrical, electronic and electromechanical (EEE) components, and materials, mechanical parts and processes (MMPP); monitoring manufacturing, assembly, integration and test activities through mandatory and key inspection points, test witnessing and quality assurance checks; conducting acceptance reviews of all contractually deliverable items; reviewing safety data packages from industry and other suppliers as needed, ensuring they are made available on time to the corresponding safety authorities and supporting safety reviews and other key events for ground and launch safety; supervising PA&S activities during the launch campaign; and performing any other PA&S tasks necessary to ensure a safe and successful mission. You will also support the Head of the Exploration and Science PA&S Section in improvement activities and cross-project coordination, and will receive support from experts of the ESA Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

Technical competencies: Experience in PA&S management for space projects (for example as PA&S Manager or PA&S Engineer); knowledge of individual PA&S disciplines (quality assurance, RAMS, materials and processes, EEE components and/or software product assurance); experience in monitoring industrial activities, including participation in inspections, audits and reviews; and understanding of space systems engineering. Behavioural competencies: result orientation, operational efficiency, fostering cooperation, relationship management, continuous improvement and forward thinking.

Education and experience: A master’s degree in a relevant field is required, together with at least four years of relevant professional experience. Alternatively, candidates with a bachelor’s degree and an additional four years of relevant professional experience may be considered. In principle, recruitment will be within the advertised grade band (A2-A4), but if the selected candidate has less than four years of relevant professional experience following completion of the master’s degree, the position may be filled at A1 level.

Additional requirements: The ability to manage complex decision-making processes, especially under pressure and in the presence of conflicting positions or priorities; strong aptitude for reaching pragmatic, solution-oriented, fact-based decisions that maintain appropriate standards of quality; excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal; and previous experience of working as a PA&S Engineer or Manager on scientific space projects and/or working with partners such as other space agencies, research institutes and universities would be considered an asset. Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology and hardware subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations and eligible to acquire security clearance by their national security administrations. Successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment. Applications are only considered from nationals of the ESA Member States and associated states listed on the source page. The working languages of the Agency are English and French; a good knowledge of one of these is required and knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.

How to apply: Apply through the external ESA careers page using the Apply now button on this job. ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment.