Join a technical team supporting time and frequency generation and distribution systems at the European Space Agency's ESTEC site in the Netherlands. This engineering role focuses on the development, testing, and integration of critical RF technologies used in space missions. You will contribute across project lifecycles, from early studies to hardware deployment, ensuring precision and reliability in timing systems.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide technical expertise for projects involving microwave and optical atomic clocks, oscillators, and time transfer systems
- Lead in-house design, simulation, data analysis, and performance evaluation of RF components and subsystems
- Conduct hands-on testing and modeling of time and frequency equipment in coordination with laboratory teams
- Support the development and maintenance of internal software tools and databases for data processing and system characterization
- Collaborate with external partners, including industry and academia, during reviews, technical meetings, and joint development efforts
- Contribute to technology roadmaps, requirements definition, and statements of work for external contracts
- Monitor advancements in timekeeping technologies through literature, conferences, and engagement with research communities
- Support system integration by interfacing with teams working on payloads, antennas, EMC, thermal, and structural domains
- Participate in working groups, workshops, and conferences related to time and frequency standardization
Qualifications
Candidates must hold an MSc or PhD in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, or a related field. Proven experience is required in:
- Design and evaluation of time and frequency generation and distribution systems
- RF engineering, including modeling, measurement, and calibration of microwave and optical components
- Space-based applications and the environmental constraints affecting RF hardware
- Project support, supplier management, and technical documentation
- Data processing of time series and performance analysis of timing systems
Work Environment
This is a hybrid position based in the Netherlands, with three days per week on-site at ESTEC and two days remote. Working hours are flexible, respecting core availability. The role requires coordination with laboratories and external organizations, occasional meeting facilitation, and regular reporting to technical leads.
Compensation and Benefits
- Competitive salary and fully covered comprehensive health insurance
- No personal contribution pension plan
- 30 days of annual leave plus ESTEC closure days (~12 additional days)
- Flexible work schedule and hybrid working model
- Relocation assistance and travel allowance
- Career growth opportunities via training budget and Coursera membership
