Job Description

ALADDIN Team Leader

Job Requisition ID: 20503

Date Posted: 8 May 2026

Closing Date: 29 May 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication: Internal & External

Type of Appointment: 4 years, extendable to indefinite

Directorate: Human and Robotic Exploration

Workplace:

Noordwijk, NL Porz-Wahn, DE

Grade Band: A5 - A5

Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands or EAC, Porz-Wahn, Germany.

Description

The Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration Programmes (D/HRE) is a programme directorate within the ESA matrix structure. Through a partnership between humans and robots, D/HRE is dedicated to exploring destinations in space where humans are already living and working —– or will live and work in the future —– for the purpose of scientific research, economic development, international cooperation and public inspiration.

Under the direct authority of the Leader of the LEO Services Group, the ALADDIN Team Lead manages the delivery of a cargo return service, to be provided initially to the ISS and in the future to the post-ISS LEO infrastructure.

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

acting as the Project Manager for the ALADDIN project;
executing, in accordance with performance, schedule and budget requirements, all industrial activities associated with the design, development, assembly and testing of the ALADDIN contracts, up to and including the demonstration missions;
managing all procurement tasks associated with ALADDIN;
interfacing with the industrial consortiums for all management and technical aspects, tailored to the characteristics of the contract (co-funded service development under the lead of the industrial consortiums);
performing risk management, including periodic confirmation of technical and financial viability of contractors, in close coordination with the Directorate of Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness (D/CIC) and the Directorate of Resources and Services (D/RES);
managing additional support for the Core Team, including from D/CIC, the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality (D/TEC), the Directorate of Operations (D/OPS) and external consultants if applicable;
coordinating with NASA for ISS certification;
coordinating with ExPeRT for the execution of any parallel de-risking contracts and possible crew evolution;
coordinating with the Directorate of Space Transportation (D/STS) to maximise synergies in technology development aspects.

You will also be responsible for identifying, assessing, managing and reporting the health and safety risks in your area of responsibility.

Technical competencies

Industrial cost and schedule knowledge

Complex project risk management processes

Space system development and PA standards, including proven experience in cost and schedule management

Knowledge of the ESA and industrial development cycle, procurement processes and verification

Multidisciplinary knowledge of your area of responsibility

Knowledge of other technical domains with interfaces with your own area of responsibility

Experience in managing space hardware development with multiple interfaces

Experience working in an innovative industrial environment (start-ups and private funding)

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in a relevant domain is required for this post, together with eight years of relevant professional experience.

Additional requirements

Proven experience in project management and system engineering is required. In addition, you should have:

proven experience of leading, motivating and developing a team of experts;
the ability to provide strategic direction to the individuals and teams within the project and to relate team objectives to the overall, evolving organisational goals and context;
the ability to drive performance and foster cooperation within and across teams throughout the organisation;
demonstrated excellent leadership, relationship management and communication skills, both oral and written;
a proven track record of representing the Agency’s interests to external interfaces;
excellent cognitive, analytical, delegation, planning and organisational skills;
the ability to anticipate problems, resolve complex issues and relate situations to their context;
the ability to make solution-oriented, pragmatic and timely decisions of a high standard and with integrity as well as to support others, such as team members, upper management and other stakeholders, in this process.

People management experience is required. International experience is an asset, including outside your home country, as well as experience in diverse functional areas relevant to ESA activities.
Mobility is inherent to management functions and this position may be subject to rotation.
Therefore, mobility opportunities may be offered to you as part of your career evolution at ESA, beginning after approximately five years in this role.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.

At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us via email at contact.human.resources@esa.int.

Important Information and Disclaimer
Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations and eligible to acquire the security clearance by their national security administrations.

During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.

Note that ESA is in the process of transitioning to a Matrix setup, which could lead to organisational changes affecting this position.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

Nationality and Languages
Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.

According to the ESA Convention, staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, taking into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the Member States.

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.