About this job

Sapienza Consulting is recruiting an Innovation Management Officer to join the Strategy and Innovation team. The Strategy and Innovation team integrates the overall ESA space exploration strategy, supports the preparation of future space exploration missions, implements actions aimed at integrating space exploration into the society and promoting global cooperation as well as develops and implements a comprehensive innovation plan for space exploration. As part of the innovation plan, ESA implements actions to nurture both, the emergence of services providers offering access to ISS and other platforms for commercially-driven (non ESA-funded) research and applications and a new, primarily industrial user community exploiting the new service offer for up and downstream applications.

Under the direct authority of the Lead of the Strategy and Innovation Team, the Innovation Manager is responsible for implementing actions aimed at promoting commercial research and applications in Space.

Responsibilities

• Implementing, in close coordination with other relevant ESA Directorates, call for ideas for commercial research and applications in Space;
• Coordinating the end-to-end implementation of commercial research and applications in Space projects selected for ESA support measures;
• Supporting the establishment and operations of the Business in Space Growth network, established to nurture the growth of European demand for commercial research and applications in Space;
• Supporting the selection and maturation process of partnerships aimed at establishing commercial services enabling commercial research and applications in Space;
• Supporting ESA cross-Directorate initiatives implemented within the framework of the ESA Downstream Gateway initiative;
• Supporting the organisation of innovation exchanges aimed at engaging new industrial or institutional actors in the ESA Space Exploration Programme, as partners, contractor or downstream users.

Profile

• Broad knowledge of relevant industrial sectors and a minimum of 5 years working experience in a relevant non-space sector (e.g. pharma, manufacturing, biological engineering).
• Master’s Degree in Engineering, a Scientific Discipline and/or Business Administration or equivalent
• Good knowledge of the European and international space exploration policies, plans and programmes.
• Outstanding skills in innovation and creativity, system and broader business thinking, communication, teamwork and relationship management and customer focus.
• Strong planning and organization skills and a demonstrated ability to achieve excellent results under time pressure.
• Demonstrated ability to work in multidisciplinary and international teams.
• Ability to cope with pressure and deadlines.
• Excellent technical writing skills.
• Excellent knowledge of English, additional knowledge of another ESA member state language is desirable.
• Candidates must be eligible to work in the EU.