CO2M Spacecraft Operations Engineer

Job Introduction

Imagine being part of a team that shapes the future of Earth observation. Picture yourself at the heart of a mission that will monitor our planet’s CO₂ emissions from space, helping humanity make informed decisions for a sustainable future. This is your chance to turn that vision into reality.

We’re looking for an experienced Spacecraft Operations Engineer to join our Copernicus Spacecraft Operations Engineering team on-site at EUMETSAT. This isn’t just a job, it’s an opportunity to play a pivotal role in the ramp-up of the CO2M satellite mission, a cornerstone of the Copernicus programme.

From the early days of operations preparation to the excitement of live mission support, you’ll be part of every critical moment. You’ll help design concepts, validate mission data, train teams, and ensure operational excellence. When the mission goes live, you’ll be at the forefront—executing routine operations, monitoring spacecraft performance, and solving anomalies that keep the mission safe and efficient.

What You'll Do

From the very first day, you’ll step into a mission that’s still taking shape. You’ll be part of the ramp-up phase, where ideas become reality—analysing requirements, developing concepts, and validating every operational detail to ensure nothing is left to chance.

As the countdown to launch begins, you’ll prepare the systems that will keep the Copernicus Sentinel satellites running flawlessly, working within the SCOS-2000 environment to bring precision and reliability to every command.

You won’t be working in isolation. This role places you at the centre of collaboration, interfacing with flight operations teams, mission planners, and external partners to make sure every piece of the puzzle fits perfectly.

Once the mission is live, you’ll be the guardian of spacecraft health, monitoring performance, investigating anomalies, and making quick, informed decisions to keep the mission on track.

And when others are sleeping, you’ll be part of the on-call rota, ensuring safe and efficient operations around the clock. You’ll also share your expertise, training controllers and analysts using advanced simulators, preparing them for the challenges of real-time space operations.

Every day will bring new challenges, and every decision you make will help keep a critical Earth observation mission alive and thriving.

What You Bring

You’ve spent years mastering the art of spacecraft operations, ideally on Low Earth Orbit missions, where precision and timing are everything.

Your expertise in AOCS and payload instruments means you understand the heartbeat of a satellite and how to keep it steady.

You’ve been there during the critical preparation phases—building and validating operational baselines, crafting procedures, and working with powerful tools like spacecraft simulators and ground segment monitoring and control systems.

When anomalies arise, you don’t panic—you analyse, troubleshoot, and collaborate with industry partners to find solutions. You know what it takes to maintain performance and ensure configuration integrity, and you’ve worked hands-on with ground segment facilities, from mission planning and onboard software management to simulator operations and performance analysis.

SCOS-2000 isn’t just a system to you, it’s second nature. You speak the language of CCSDS and ECSS standards fluently, and file-based operations are part of your toolkit.

Coding and scripting? That’s where you shine, with Python, Matlab, and SQL at your fingertips to automate and optimize processes.

Pressure doesn’t faze you. Tight deadlines? You thrive on them. Whether working independently or as part of a team, your communication skills keep everyone aligned. And with fluency in English, you navigate international environments with ease.

What We Offer: More Than Just a Job

Joining Serco at ESOC isn’t just about the work, it’s about the experience. We know that moving for a role like this is a big step, so we make sure you’re supported every step of the way. From the moment you accept, we’ll take care of the details: a relocation allowance that includes your flight to Germany, transport from the airport, and a month of paid accommodation while you settle into your new home.

Once you’re here, you’ll enjoy a hybrid working model that gives you flexibility, plus a 30% discount on the Deutschland ticket to make exploring your new surroundings easy and affordable.

We’ll help you stay active with a gym membership discount and give you peace of mind with participation in pension and health schemes.

And because we believe in balance, you’ll have 30 days of holiday to recharge, reflect, and maybe even travel to some of Europe’s most inspiring destinations.

This isn’t just a job—it’s a chance to build a career in space operations while enjoying a lifestyle that supports you every step of the way.