Satellite and Ground Segment Engineer

Job Introduction

Serco is a trusted leader in Space Services, with a proud history spanning over 55 years and a track record of supporting more than 50 space missions for world-renowned agencies like ESA and NASA. Our expertise covers the entire space lifecycle—from satellite testing and launch services to spacecraft operations, space surveillance, and data management—making us a key partner in advancing national strategies and driving innovation in the New Space era.

We are currently searching for a Satellite and Ground Segment Engineer who will support our activities in Serco Italy and work on a full-time position with a hybrid working style, and under a fixed term contract of 1 year.

The Community You Will Join

You will work in an international, diverse team, surrounded by top-tier scientists, engineers, and technical experts who inspire and challenge you every day. You’ll have ongoing opportunities to grow through specialized training and professional development tailored to the space sector, all while being part of a company that genuinely values work-life balance, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to excellence. As you contribute to innovative projects and mission-critical systems, you’ll gain hands-on exposure to cutting-edge technologies and collaborate closely with major space agencies, becoming part of something truly extraordinary.

The Difference You Will Make

You will contribute directly to some of Europe’s most exciting space programmes, from Earth observation and climate monitoring to satellite navigation and space safety. Your work will play a vital role in ensuring mission success, enabling better decision-making on Earth and driving innovation in orbit. Whether you’re helping managing spacecraft operations, analysing mission data, or supporting software and systems development, your expertise will help move Europe’s space ambitions forward.

Your Mission

You will step into a role where you will act as both the technical backbone and the bridge between science and engineering, ensuring that the platform will run smoothly, efficiently, and reliably for everyone who depends on it.

Engineering Support

You will provide robust engineering support, making sure that the platform will continue to operate without interruption. In your daily work, you will handle technical challenges as they arise, helping the BIOMASS, EarthCARE, and other user communities use the platform effectively, and you will investigate and resolve any software anomalies that could affect performance. You will also contribute to improving efficiency by developing small applications that will automate routine tasks, and you will assist with integrating and developing monitoring components so the platform will remain stable, observable, and reliable.

Scientific Support

You will ensure that scientific users will be able to focus on their research with confidence, knowing their technical needs will be supported. You will offer dedicated scientific support, acting as the bridge between the technical teams and the user community. In this role, you will help users fully leverage the data product portfolios of initiatives such as Biomass, EarthCARE, and others.
You will also work closely with the Initiative Manager, translating the needs of the user community into clear technical requirements for the engineering teams. In addition, you will support the Helpdesk by clarifying user requests and guiding them toward the appropriate technical experts so that issues will be resolved efficiently.

Interface

You will support the interaction with external service entities, ESA interfaces, and other internal ASCEND teams. Through this, you will help ensure that communication between all parties will remain clear, coordinated, and productive.

Documentation

You will prepare scientific and technical documentation that will support the activities of the project. You will also contribute to posters, reports, and presentation material for contracts, workshops, and conferences, as agreed with ASCEND management and ESA.

Reporting

You will support the preparation of periodic service reports, ensuring that the activities performed will be clearly documented and communicated to stakeholders.

What You Bring to the Mission

You interact confidently with different external interfaces, whether they are customers, scientific users, or technical teams, and you make sure communication remains clear, constructive, and effective. You plan your actions carefully, propose solutions in a structured way, and report on progress while keeping deadlines firmly in sight. You communicate fluently in English, both in writing and in conversation, allowing you to prepare clear documentation, exchange ideas efficiently, and contribute to meetings with confidence. You are also available to travel when needed, understanding that face-to-face discussions are sometimes essential for coordination and progress. In your daily tasks, you rely on solid programming skills. You use Python as your main tool, and you are comfortable working with other programming languages and Linux scripting to automate processes, manipulate data, and support analysis activities. Your familiarity with space-based platform data, such as Biomass, EarthCARE, and similar missions, allows you to understand the context of the work and support users effectively. You also bring a proactive and constructive mindset to the team. You bring a high level of self-motivation to your work and can perform effectively both within a team and independently. You hold a university degree, or an equivalent qualification, in Physics, engineering, or a related discipline, and you have a basic understanding of the BIOMASS, EarthCARE, or similar missions and their data products. You are experienced in satellite data processing and handling, and you develop utilities that support the analysis of large datasets as well as data visualisation. Your profile is further strengthened if you already have experience working with ESA mission data or related services, as this allows you to integrate more quickly into the operational and scientific environment.

What We Offer: More Than Just a Job

At Serco, we believe your career should come with more than a payslip, it should come with peace of mind, flexibility, and opportunities to thrive. That’s why we’ve built a benefits package designed to support you and your family, both inside and outside of work.

Here, you’ll find more than just a job—you’ll step into a place where your long-term growth is planned and supported through a clear career path and continuous training opportunities that help you evolve with confidence. You can enjoy the freedom of a hybrid working style, complemented by full health and life insurance that brings peace of mind to you and your loved ones. And as an added perk, you’ll benefit from exclusive discounts at selected shops, making everyday life a little more rewarding while you build your future with us.