Print / save as PDF

VN 26/28 Jason CS/S6 Spacecraft Operations Manager

EUMETSAT is an intergovernmental organisation based in Darmstadt, Germany, with 30 member states. Our vision is to be the leading user-driven operational agency in Europe and a trusted global partner for weather and Earth system monitoring from space. We are at the forefront of providing near-real-time (NRT) data that are crucial for saving lives, protecting property, and fostering economic growth and productivity in Europe. By operating state-of-the-art systems for managing our satellites, data processing and providing real-time distribution services to users worldwide, we are making a tangible difference in people's lives and contribute to the thriving European economy.

 EUMETSAT operates a varied fleet of spacecraft to observe the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and land surfaces in support of weather forecasting, climate monitoring, oceanography and hydrology. This comprises satellites owned by EUMETSAT as well as several operated by EUMETSAT on behalf of the European Commission’s Copernicus programme, including two satellites of the Jason-CS/Sentinel-6 ocean altimetry mission.

 Reporting to the Head of the Flight Operations (FLO) Division in the Operations and Services to Users Department (OPS), the Jason-CS/Sentinel-6 Spacecraft Operations Manager is responsible for the planning, supervision and execution of all Sentinel-6 spacecraft operations, working in close coordination with teams performing the operations of other systems.

Duties

  • Manage the Sentinel-6 spacecraft operations team of the Flight Operations Division
  • Supervise and coordinate the operations of the Sentinel-6 spacecraft in line with the Mission Plan and the Flight Operations Plan and Procedures
  • Maintain spacecraft operations procedures and spacecraft operations databases and other operations products for all Sentinel-6 spacecraft
  • Liaise with the Jason-CS/Sentinel-6 Partners (e.g. ESA, NASA, NOAA, CNES) as necessary regarding the planning and execution of operations and the exchange of information, data, software and planning
  • Monitor the health, safety and performance of the Sentinel-6 spacecraft in-orbit in conjunction with ESA/ESTEC and the spacecraft industrial prime contractor
  • Support routine processes for spacecraft operations coordination and reporting, planning and scheduling of activities, quality assurance and anomaly handling, and configuration management
  • Participate in system-level operations preparation, launch and commissioning activities for recurrent satellites and next generation satellite systems, in support to the teams of the Programme Preparation and Development Department (PRD) responsible for development, launch and in-orbit commissioning of recurrent and next generation altimetry and topography missions
  • Provide support to mission feasibility studies, early mission definition, and system-level development activities relating to future satellite systems for next generation altimetry and topography missions conducted by the relevant teams in PRD
  • Organise and support the training of operations team personnel in the mission control chains for satellite flight operations
  • Support the Head of the Flight Operations Division, in all management matters involving the Sentinel-6 spacecraft and spacecraft operations team.
 

LOCATION

Darmstadt, Germany

QUALIFICATIONS

University degree or equivalent working experience in a relevant engineering discipline

LANGUAGES

Candidates must be able to work effectively in English and have some knowledge of French.

DEADLINE

18 June 2026

Duties

  • Manage the Sentinel-6 spacecraft operations team of the Flight Operations Division
  • Supervise and coordinate the operations of the Sentinel-6 spacecraft in line with the Mission Plan and the Flight Operations Plan and Procedures
  • Maintain spacecraft operations procedures and spacecraft operations databases and other operations products for all Sentinel-6 spacecraft
  • Liaise with the Jason-CS/Sentinel-6 Partners (e.g. ESA, NASA, NOAA, CNES) as necessary regarding the planning and execution of operations and the exchange of information, data, software and planning
  • Monitor the health, safety and performance of the Sentinel-6 spacecraft in-orbit in conjunction with ESA/ESTEC and the spacecraft industrial prime contractor
  • Support routine processes for spacecraft operations coordination and reporting, planning and scheduling of activities, quality assurance and anomaly handling, and configuration management
  • Participate in system-level operations preparation, launch and commissioning activities for recurrent satellites and next generation satellite systems, in support to the teams of the Programme Preparation and Development Department (PRD) responsible for development, launch and in-orbit commissioning of recurrent and next generation altimetry and topography missions
  • Provide support to mission feasibility studies, early mission definition, and system-level development activities relating to future satellite systems for next generation altimetry and topography missions conducted by the relevant teams in PRD
  • Organise and support the training of operations team personnel in the mission control chains for satellite flight operations
  • Support the Head of the Flight Operations Division, in all management matters involving the Sentinel-6 spacecraft and spacecraft operations team.

Skills and Experience

  • Demonstrated professional experience in spacecraft operations and operations preparation activities, preferably in the development and operation of a LEO Earth Observation satellite system
  • In-depth knowledge of satellite systems and associated ground segment facilities relevant for satellite flight operations, preferably as applied to LEO Earth Observation satellites.
    • Experience of satellite Mission Control Systems based on SCOS-2000 and of the ECSS Packet Utilisation Standards (PUS) would be an advantage
  • Organisational skills and a proactive approach to coordinate the preparation and execution of complex projects in the field of satellite operations, prioritising according to constraints, inter-dependencies and opportunities.
    • Experience of working with partner organisations and industrial providers in the field of Earth Observation satellites would be an advantage.
  • Proven experience leading a multi-cultural engineering team of staff members and contracted engineering support
  • Good interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate ideas and issues clearly and concisely with others

Employment Conditions

The initial contract will be of 4 years’ duration, with subsequent 5 year contracts being awarded thereafter, subject to individual performance and organisation requirements. There is no limit to the amount of follow-up contracts a staff member can receive up to the EUMETSAT retirement age of 63 and there are certainly opportunities to establish a long career perspective at EUMETSAT.
This post is graded A3/A4 on the EUMETSAT salary scales. The minimum basic salary for this post is EURO 9320 per month (net of internal tax but excluding pension contribution and insurances) which may be negotiable on the basis of skills and experience. The salary scale provides for increments on the anniversary of taking up employment, and scales are reviewed by the EUMETSAT Council with effect from 1 January each year. In addition to basic salary, EUMETSAT offers attractive benefits. Further information, including salary details, is available on the EUMETSAT web site.

EUMETSAT is committed to providing an equal opportunities work environment for men and women.
Please note that only nationals of EUMETSAT Member States may apply. The EUMETSAT Convention requires that Staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, account being taken of the international character of EUMETSAT.

About EUMETSAT

EUMETSAT is Europe’s meteorological satellite agency. Its role is to establish and operate meteorological satellites to monitor the weather and climate from space - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This information is supplied to the National Meteorological Services of the organisation's Member States in Europe, as well as other users worldwide.

EUMETSAT also operates several Copernicus missions on behalf of the European Union and provide data services to the Copernicus marine and atmospheric services and their users.

As an intergovernmental European Organisation, EUMETSAT has 30 Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.)
Apply Now