Business Applications and Partnerships Officer (2 Posts)

Business Applications and Partnerships Officer (2 Posts)

Job Requisition ID: 20792 Date Posted: 6 August 2026 Closing Date: 27 August 2026 23:59 CET/CEST Publication: Internal & External Type of Appointment**:** 4 years, extendable to indefinite Directorate: Commercialisation and Industry Partnership Workplace:Harwell, GB Noordwijk, NL Grade Band: A2 - A4 This vacancy is published to recruit for either: an appointment of 4 years, extendable to an indefinite duration; or a fixed-term appointment with an initial duration of 4 years that depending on performance and organisational needs, may be extended up to a maximum total duration of 8 years.

Location

ECSAT, Harwell, United Kingdom ESTEC, Noordwijk, NetherlandsDescription

You will be responsible for stimulating the development and deployment of economically viable space-based solutions and services in cooperation with institutions, the private sector and corporate businesses, and the management of the resulting industrial activities.

You will work in close cooperation with members of the Directorate of Commercialisation and Industry Partnership and other directorates, as well as with industry and private and public stakeholders.Duties

• Identifying and characterising commercial opportunities for sustainable solutions and services that leverage space assets, such as in satellite communications, satellite navigation and Earth observation, integrated with digital technologies;
• Engaging with private and public users and relevant stakeholders to identify commercial needs for new space-based downstream business applications and services. This includes fostering collaboration with new user communities, managing relations with partners and federating user communities per sector;
• Developing personal expertise and leadership in the application of space in one or more targeted market areas in order to contribute to a European market development strategy;
• Acting as a spokesperson and voice of ESA’s strategy in your areas of expertise and responsibility;
• Supervising outsourced and contract workforce tasked with the delivery of the programme, providing technical guidance and performing quality control;
• Defining and developing initiatives in cooperation with strategic partners in the context of downstream space applications, assisting in the preparation of work plans and reporting to delegate bodies and drafting documentation for calls for proposals and tenders. These initiatives will support the creation of sustainable solutions and services aimed at addressing the identified opportunities;
• Supporting industry in developing proposals for new activities, including the selection process and the execution of quality control measures;
• Managing contracted industrial activities, specifically those related to studies and demonstration projects, within the designated areas of responsibility;
• Coordinating with other ESA directorate projects and initiatives intended to bring to commercial exploitation space assets and/or data and contributing to activities pursued in the context of cross-directorate initiatives;
• Supervising the analysis of the portfolio of industrial activities in the markets and domains under your responsibility, developing related dossiers, monitoring the efficiency of the programmatic and procurement tools adopted for programme implementation, and proposing plans for improvements. Technical competencies Background and professional experience in satellite communications, satellite navigation or satellite Earth observation Knowledge relevant to space-using markets and the field of activity Stakeholder management Market research analysis Experience in the preparation and/or assessment of business plans Project management experience in digital service developmentBehavioural 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 discipline, such as engineering, environmental science or business administration, is required for this post, together with 5 years of relevant professional experience.Additional requirements

Interpersonal and communication skills

Leadership capabilities, with proven relationship management skills

Experience of working in cross-functional teams

Problem-solving skillsDiversity, 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

In principle, recruitment will be within the advertised grade band (A2-A4). However, if the selected candidate has less than four years of relevant professional experience following the completion of the master’s degree, the position may be filled at A1 level.

Applicants must be eligible to access information, technology, and hardware which is subject to European or US export control and sanctions regulations.

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.