About this job

The Business Application and Space Solutions Department (TIA-A) implements the Space Solutions Programme (S2).

ESA S2 operates two main production lines: Application Projects (“Business Applications”) and Business Incubation Centres (“BIC”).

As part of this, the Innovation and Venture Office (TIA-AI) is in charge of the promotion and implementation of business innovations based on space technology and satellite infrastructure. Particularly the Space Solutions Section (TIA-AIS) is responsible to support industry through 3 lines of businesses:

• business incubation centers,
• business application ambassadors,
• corporate and academic partners.

Together, these entities form the Space Solutions Network, comprising of more than 50 members in over 100 locations in ESA Member states.

Space Solution entities operate under TIA-AIS contracts and are responsible for supporting more than 180 new start-up companies per year, as well as providing many business-leads that connects B-to-B relationships and new applicants for ARTES Feasibility Studies and Applications Projects.

TIA-AIS is operating through a country management approach whereby contracts with Space Solution entities are bundled per country and are managed as an account. Depending on the size of each account, 4-7 accounts are supported per STE.

ESA Space Solutions is responsible to implement grants through “EISI” (ESA Initial Support for Innovation), an innovative and fast tool to implement this programme remit. The TIAAM office is i.a. responsible to support the implementation and reporting of grants.

Responsibilities

Support member states’ ESA S2 portfolio:

• Day-to-day contact with ESA S2 contractors (supplier/industry).
• Support the preparation of the ESA Space Solutions procurement proposals.
• Monitor progress of ESA S2 start-ups and reporting.
• Provide support for activities (promotion, training, …) taking place in the Member States.
• Coordinate with other stakeholders, internal and external to ESA.
• Support expert meetings, particularly selection campaigns meetings with local ESA S2 entities and partners.
• Assess highly innovative projects, particularly in terms of business plan assessment and assessment of the technical and operational requirements applicable to space derived technologies and applications and their integration in terrestrial products and services.
• Ensure timely internal and external reporting by ESA S2 entities and support where needed. Particularly maintaining a Microsoft Sharepoint-based reporting system.

Attraction and evaluation of project proposals:

• Support ESA S2 contractors in the identification and characterisation of new products and services exploiting current and next generation of space technologies (e.g. materials, sensors, robotics, software, etc) and satellite systems (e.g. Satcom, Earth Observation and Satellite Navigation) and their integration in non-space domains.

Profile

• Master’s Degree in Engineering in a relevant domain
• At least 4 years of relevant work experience
• Significant experience in management of technology and innovation.
• Sound knowledge of the overall space applications market, and specific experience in specifying, developing, evaluating and promoting applications making use of technologies transferred from the space domain and the utilisation satellite systems.
• Sound knowledge of downstream space services and applications and with relevant space technologies (i.e. satellite communications, navigation and earth observation).
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• High standard of document drafting.
• Ability to work with software reporting tools particularly Microsoft Sharepoint, as well as some familiarity to add features in these reporting tools.
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken.
• Proficiency in German and/or Italian is desirable.
• Travel to ESA establishments and/or other European locations is foreseen
• Fluent in English; knowledge of another ESA member-state language is an asset

Contact:

Candidates must be eligible to work in the EU

Please send your CV (in English) as soon as possible, but no later than the 10th of June to jobs@sapienzaconsulting.com

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