Job Description

Control Specialist (Reserve list)

Job Requisition ID: 20572

Date Posted: 12 May 2026

Closing Date: 14 July 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication: Internal & External

Type of Appointment: Reserve List

Workplace:

Noordwijk, NL Paris, FR Darmstadt, DE Frascati, IT Villanueva de la Cañada, ES Porz-Wahn, DE Harwell, GB Redu, BE

Grade Band: G5 - G6

This job opening is for the purposes of Reserve list recruitment on multiple positions.

ESA is initiating a Reserve list recruitment process to meet the consistently high demand for Control Specialist in support of the Agency’s cutting-edge space projects and programmes. This Reserve list will comprise of candidates who have been pre-assessed and pre-approved by the ESA hiring team and who have already undergone a basic background screening. If selected, you will remain on the Reserve list for a period of 24 months, during which you will be fast-tracked for positions in upcoming projects. While inclusion in the Reserve list does not guarantee recruitment, it positions you as a valuable resource to fill ESA's future vacancies. When a relevant position arises, your candidacy will be reviewed. In that context, you may be invited to a brief follow-up interview and, if successful, an offer will be made. No action is required on your part if you are placed on a Reserve list; ESA will contact you directly about relevant opportunities.

Location
Noordwijk, Cologne, Darmstadt, Frascati, Harwell, Paris, Redu, Villanueva de la Cañada (Madrid)

Description

As Control Specialist, you will join the Business Unit of the Directorate and will be assigned to Directorate teams, ensuring close engagement and responsiveness. You will report hierarchically to the Business Unit Controller through your line management. You will ensure data consolidation, data quality and reporting at the appropriate level. You will be key to implementing processes by authorising transactions and making commitments, making operational choices that best serve the interests of the Directorate, maintaining independence to avoid conflicts of interest and contributing the know-how required to preserve business continuity.

Duties

Your tasks may include:

contributing to the end-to-end management of activities, including the preparation, implementation, monitoring and analysis of resource and activity plans (short, medium and long term), comprising commitments, budgets, costs, cash, geo-return, risks, schedules and workforce;
performing delegated control and approval functions in compliance with the Agency's rules, regulations, standards and best practices , including the acceptance of deliverables;
preparing and monitoring procurements, from tendering to closure of contracts for management, financial, planning, controlling and industrial return, including participating in all tasks related to the placing of contracts, as well as negotiations with industry and/or institutional stakeholders within your area of responsibility;
monitoring the implementation of activities in accordance with the applicable control procedures, industrial policy rules and best practices, including tracking progress, identifying deviations from plans and providing regular reporting;
maintaining and verifying the budgetary data of your assigned area of responsibility;
implementing mid- and end-of-year financial closure exercises;
identifying risks in your own areas of responsibility;
preparing inputs for the financial implementation of the Directorate's analysis centres and monitoring the resulting manpower rate;
monitoring and controlling activities performed via Directorate SLAs;
managing issues arising, involving direct interaction with counterparts, including industrial and ESA internal stakeholders;
implementing the external workforce framework contracts;
contributing to operational excellence and to continuous improvement in your area of responsibility, including the evolution of tools, dashboards, processes and use of best practices.

Technical competencies

Knowledge of or experience in budgeting, cost control and resource and activity planning

Knowledge of or experience in business analysis, digital tools and reporting

Understanding of schedule management

Understanding of risk management

Knowledge of or experience in SAP-based ERP systems

Understanding of financial regulatory framework, including accounting standards and auditing techniques

Understanding of ESA/EU procurement regulations

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 vocational qualification (EQF level 5) in a relevant discipline, and a minimum of 4 years of relevant, post-related professional experience is required for this post.

You should preferably have previous experience of working within a project/programme environment, preferably gained in an agency, international organisation or industrial setting.

Additional requirements

You should be able to work autonomously, effectively and cooperatively in a diverse and international team environment in line with team and individual objectives and deadlines. You should possess strong written and oral communication skills, and be rigorous and disciplined when working on demanding tasks. You should have good analytical, organisational and reporting skills, with a proactive attitude to problem-solving .

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
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.

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.