EUMETSAT, Europe's meteorological satellite agency, is recruiting a Quality Assurance Engineer (vacancy VN 26/45) for its Technical and Scientific Support (TSS) department in Darmstadt, Germany. The post comes with an initial 4-year contract and a minimum basic salary of €7,553 per month (net of internal tax), and it is open only to nationals of EUMETSAT Member States. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the full vacancy: applications close on 11 November 2026.
What Is EUMETSAT?
EUMETSAT is Europe's meteorological satellite agency. Its role is to establish and operate meteorological satellites to monitor the weather and climate from space, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This information is supplied to the National Meteorological Services of the organisation's Member States in Europe, as well as other users worldwide.
EUMETSAT also operates several Copernicus missions on behalf of the European Union and provides data services to:
🌊 The Copernicus marine service and its users
🌫️ The Copernicus atmospheric service and its users
As an intergovernmental European Organisation, EUMETSAT has 30 Member States.
Vacancy at a Glance
🏢 Organisation: EUMETSAT
💼 Position: Quality Assurance Engineer
🔖 Vacancy number: VN 26/45
🧪 Department: Technical and Scientific Support (TSS)
👥 Team: TSS Quality Assurance team
📍 Location: Darmstadt, Germany
📝 Initial contract: 4 years, followed by 5-year contracts
📈 Grade: A2/A4 on the EUMETSAT salary scales
💶 Minimum basic salary: €7,553 per month (net of internal tax)
🗣️ Languages: English, plus some knowledge of French
Where Does the Quality Assurance Engineer Work?
EUMETSAT works as a matrix organisation. Within it, the Technical and Scientific Support (TSS) department supports the development and operations of EUMETSAT satellite systems, in particular ground systems.
TSS also provides quality assurance and management support services to the full organisation, through its Process Assurance and Management Support Division (PRS).
How the Role Fits Into TSS Projects
The selected engineer joins the TSS Quality Assurance team and works closely with the engineering and scientific teams in TSS. In practice, she or he will:
🤝 Be a member of TSS-led engineering development projects
🛠️ Support the maintenance and evolution of EUMETSAT operational systems and services
🚀 Support other engineering-related activities that adopt new technologies, in line with the organisation's multi-mission approach
Quality Assurance for Operational Ground Systems
📡 Provide quality and product assurance for the maintenance and evolution of operational ground systems and support services.
📋 This includes the organisation of reviews and the management and follow-up of technical investigations.
QA Requirements for Engineering Support Contracts
📑 Define and ensure the applicability of Quality and Product Assurance requirements for technical/engineering support contracts.
👀 Monitor their implementation, including reporting and acting upon detected deviations, anomalies and non-conformities.
Project Quality Assurance Activities
🗂️ Plan and perform project quality assurance activities in support of project management.
✂️ Define and tailor the applicable Quality and Product Assurance requirements.
🗓️ Organise reviews and provide key project quality indicators.
⚠️ Identify non-conformities with regard to the applicable processes.
🎯 Facilitate the project risk management process.
Acceptance, Testing and Anomaly Management
The engineer provides Quality and Product Assurance support across the acceptance cycle:
📦 Acceptance processes, for example Incoming Inspections
🧾 Test-related reviews, for example the Test Readiness Review and Test Review Board
✅ Acceptance-related reviews
🐞 Management of anomalies
Product Assurance for Ground Segment, Software and IT Infrastructure
💻 Provide Product Assurance support to the Ground Segment System, Software and IT Infrastructure components.
🔎 Offer expert support in the review of related deliveries and during technical investigations and milestones.
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Improving Quality Assurance Processes
⚙️ Define, analyse and improve Quality Assurance processes relevant to TSS engineering activities, development projects and operations support services.
🧩 Support the harmonisation and standardisation of organisational processes for all QA aspects, contributing to their continual improvement.
Internal and Supplier Quality Audits
🏛️ Participate in Internal Quality Audits.
🏭 Participate in Quality Audits on external contractors and suppliers as necessary, to ensure their established processes are appropriate to fulfil the contracts they hold with EUMETSAT, in line with EUMETSAT requirements.
Lessons Learnt and Training
📚 Ensure lessons learnt in TSS projects are gathered, assessed, recorded and implemented/applied as relevant to subsequent projects.
🎓 Provide Quality and Product Assurance training to TSS personnel.
Qualifications Required
🎓 A university degree in engineering or computer science, or another relevant discipline
🏅 Certification in quality assurance, management or auditing would be an advantage
Language Requirements
🇬🇧 Ability to work effectively in English
🇫🇷 Some knowledge of French
What Experience Does EUMETSAT Require?
🖥️ A minimum of five years' experience working with large-scale software-intensive systems in at least one of these disciplines: Quality Assurance, Product Assurance or Software Engineering, plus a general understanding of the others
👷 Proven professional experience working as part of the Engineering team or the Product Assurance team, in projects developing Software Systems, including their Software and IT Infrastructure components
📐 Knowledge of system engineering standards and methodologies in aspects relevant to space operational systems
📏 Experience in the definition and assessment of processes, good practices and/or standards in quality assurance, combined with good knowledge and practice of ISO 9001 and/or other relevant QA standards
Experience That Counts as an Advantage
🛰️ Experience in Ground Segment Systems and/or software QA/PA
✈️ Experience readily applicable to the space domain, for example from the aeronautical, defence, telecommunication or automotive engineering domains, which face similar challenges and rely on related technologies and methodologies
☁️ Experience with new technologies such as cloud computing and Docker/Kubernetes
🔁 Experience with development methodologies such as Agile and DevOps
Personal Skills
🧠 Excellent analysis, synthesis and presentation skills
💬 Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to apply them to interactions within and between teams
Contract Length and Long-Term Career
The initial contract lasts 4 years, with subsequent 5-year contracts awarded thereafter, subject to individual performance and organisation requirements.
There is no limit to the number of follow-up contracts a staff member can receive up to the EUMETSAT retirement age of 63, so there are real opportunities to build a long career perspective at EUMETSAT.
How Much Does the Quality Assurance Engineer Earn?
The post is graded A2/A4 on the EUMETSAT salary scales. The minimum basic salary is €7,553 per month, net of internal tax but excluding pension contribution and insurances, and it may be negotiable on the basis of skills and experience.
📈 The salary scale provides for increments on the anniversary of taking up employment.
🔄 Scales are reviewed by the EUMETSAT Council with effect from 1 January each year.
🎁 In addition to the basic salary, EUMETSAT offers attractive benefits.
ℹ️ Further information, including salary details, is available on the EUMETSAT website.
Who Can Apply?
Only nationals of EUMETSAT Member States may apply. The EUMETSAT Convention requires that staff are recruited on the basis of their qualifications, taking into account the international character of EUMETSAT.
The 30 Member States are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.
EUMETSAT is committed to providing an equal opportunities work environment for men and women.
Find more roles like this in our jobs listings on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary for the EUMETSAT Quality Assurance Engineer?
The minimum basic salary is €7,553 per month, net of internal tax but excluding pension contribution and insurances. It may be negotiable based on skills and experience, and EUMETSAT also offers attractive benefits.
Where is the Quality Assurance Engineer based?
The position is based in Darmstadt, Germany, in the TSS Quality Assurance team of the Technical and Scientific Support department.
How many years of experience are required?
Candidates need a minimum of five years' experience working with large-scale software-intensive systems in Quality Assurance, Product Assurance or Software Engineering, with a general understanding of the other two disciplines.
Which degree do I need?
A university degree in engineering or computer science, or another relevant discipline, is required. A certification in quality assurance, management or auditing is an advantage.
Is ISO 9001 knowledge needed?
Yes. EUMETSAT asks for good knowledge and practice of ISO 9001 and/or other relevant QA standards, together with experience in defining and assessing processes, good practices or standards in quality assurance.
Do I need space industry experience?
Space experience is not mandatory. Experience readily applicable to the space domain, for example from aeronautical, defence, telecommunication or automotive engineering, is an advantage, as is experience in Ground Segment Systems or software QA/PA.
Which languages are required?
You must be able to work effectively in English and have some knowledge of French.
How long is the contract?
The initial contract is 4 years, followed by 5-year contracts subject to individual performance and organisation requirements. There is no limit on follow-up contracts up to the EUMETSAT retirement age of 63.
Who is eligible to apply?
Only nationals of the 30 EUMETSAT Member States may apply. Staff are recruited on the basis of their qualifications, taking into account the international character of EUMETSAT.
Deadline
⏳ 11 November 2026
Link
🔗 Apply here: https://eumetsat.onlyfy.jobs/apply/f2260mlb377kyioqccxh458s51111bl
