Operations Support Engineer

Job title:

Operations Support Engineer

Company:

Serco

Job description

Job IntroductionSerco is a leading Space Services Provider with thousands of skilled resources that has supported over 50 space missions on behalf of more than 10 Space or Government agencies around the globe, including the ESA and NASA. Serco offers space capability across the full space lifecycle from satellite testing to launch services, LEOP to spacecraft operations, space surveillance to data management, and supporting downstream application development.At Serco, we take pride in being a trusted partner of ESA and other European space stakeholders. Our teams are made up of passionate professionals dedicated to excellence, knowledge-sharing, and meaningful impact.The Difference You Will MakeYou 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.Why Join Serco?Work in an international and diverse team environment, surrounded by top-tier scientists, engineers, and technical experts.Access continuous professional development and training opportunities tailored to the space sector.Be part of a company that values work-life balance, mutual respect, and a commitment to excellence.Gain exposure to cutting-edge technologies, innovative projects, and mission-critical systems in collaboration with major space agencies.We look forward to meeting you!We are looking for a detail-oriented and proactive Operations Support Engineer to join the Copernicus Sentinel-1 Production and Marine Data Store Services. In this role, you will be responsible for conducting mission performance analysis, managing system anomalies, and supporting the installation and maintenance of critical software and databases. Your technical expertise and analytical skills will play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation and continuous improvement of the Sentinel-1 mission. If you have a background in aerospace projects and are skilled in Linux, databases and integration activities, this position offers an exciting opportunity to be involved in Copernicus Ground segment operational activities.Main ResponsibilitiesAs Operations Support Engineer you will be responsible for:Mission Performance Analysis:

• Conduct comprehensive performance analysis for the Sentinel-1 mission and Marine Data Store data dissemination, ensuring that system behavior aligns with expected outcomes.
• Perform end-to-end analysis of the mission in the context of the Services, identifying trends, and conducting regular assessments to ensure mission and service objectives are met.

Trend Analysis and Support:

• Support trend analysis for the Sentinel-1 production servicce, identifying deviations from expected performance and reporting findings to relevant stakeholders.
• Analyze mission data to support system enhancements and ensure optimal performance across the production service.

Anomaly Reporting and Resolution:

• Identify, document, and report system anomalies encountered during operations.
• Collaborate with the operations team to troubleshoot, escalate, and resolve anomalies in a timely manner.
• Provide support to dedicated Anomaly Review Boards (ARB), contributing to technical discussions and resolution strategies.

Software Installation and Maintenance:

• Oversee and support the operations team to install, configure, and maintain mission-critical software on Linux virtual machines (VMs) for data processing, data dissemination and analysis.
• Ensure all mission-related software and tools are up to date and perform efficiently within the production environment.

Database Management:

• Manage and maintain Postgres and Influx databases used for Sentinel-1 mission metrics data storage.
• Ensure data integrity and availability, and implement performance optimizations as needed.

Dashboard Creation and Management:

• Design, create, and maintain Grafana dashboards to visualize key performance metrics for the Sentinel-1 mission and Marine Data Store timeliness.
• Ensure dashboards provide accurate, real-time data for monitoring and reporting purposes.

On-Call Support:

• Provide support to the on-call operations team during weekends and holidays, ensuring mission continuity and prompt resolution of any operational issues.

Successful CandidateTechnical Expertise:

• Strong proficiency in Linux operating systems, particularly in managing and troubleshooting virtual environments.
• Advanced Bash shell scripting skills for automating system tasks and enhancing operational workflows.
• Hands-on experience with Postgres and Influx databases.
• Proficient in creating and managing Grafana dashboards for real-time data monitoring and visualization.

Ticketing Systems and Issue Management:

• Familiarity with ticketing systems such as Jira for tracking issues, managing anomalies, and reporting status updates.

Problem Solving and Analytical Skills:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret and respond to complex mission data.
• Ability to anticipate and recognize potential issues, ensuring prompt resolution before they impact mission operations.

Educational Background:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, IT, Computer Science, or a related field.

Experience:

• At least 1 year of experience working in similar projects, ideally involving Earth Observation (EO) systems or satellite missions.
• Proven experience in managing incidents and resolving anomalies within mission-critical environments.

Technical Knowledge:

• Experience with incident and anomaly management processes, including participation in Anomaly Review Boards (ARB).
• Knowledge of best practices for writing operational procedures and status reports, ensuring clear communication with the broader team.

Software and Tools:

• Experience with ITIL and Agile methodologies for service management and project execution.
• Understanding of mission performance trends, data analysis, and the ability to derive actionable insights from complex datasets.

Desirable skills:

• Orchestration tools: Terraform, Puppet
• Configuration management tools: Ansible
• Containerization: Docker, Kubernetes
• Databases: PostgreSQL, SQL, InfluxDB, Solr
• Monitoring & Analysis: Grafana, Nagios
• Cloud & Storage Technologies: S3
• Version Control: Github

About the CompanySerco is a leading provider of public services. Our customers are governments or others operating in the public sector. We gain scale, expertise and diversification by operating internationally across five sectors and four geographies: Defence, Space, Justice & Immigration, Transport, Health and Citizen Services, delivered in UK & Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. More information can be found at .Women in Aerospace
We prioritize Diversity and Inclusion, actively supporting initiatives such as Women in Aerospace Europe, which champions opportunities, development, and visibility for women in the Aerospace sector.For more information :We are diverse and inclusive organisationAt Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential and we are committed to supporting the needs of all our colleagues. It’s a mix of people from different backgrounds, experiences and opinion that keeps our culture strong and vibrant.We believe in equity so we strongly encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job are encouraged to apply and demonstrate their abilities in an interview. We also welcome a conversation about any adjustments that would make the interview process more accessible for you. Wherever possible we are open to discussions around flexible working and we operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas.In the UK we are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader in the government’s scheme and hold the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard; in Belgium we are partner of Diversicom and member of Charter der Vielfalt in Germany.If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to The Serco Europe Recruitment TeamImportantAny offer of employment is contingent upon you providing documents to verify your identity and employment eligibility, as required by law.Please contact the recruitment team if neededData Protection:For more information on how the personal data is processed, please see the link .

Expected salary

Location

Roma

Job date

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 23:43:42 GMT

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