Contracts Officer (Reserve List)

ESA's Contracts Department provides procurement and contracting services across all ESA programmes including Earth observation, navigation, human spaceflight, science, and secure satellite communications. This reserve list recruitment builds a pool of pre-qualified Contracts Officers to fill anticipated vacancies at ESTEC and other ESA sites during 2026 and 2027. Contracts Officers operate with significant autonomy, independently managing the full procurement lifecycle from tendering and proposal evaluation through contract negotiation, amendment, and closeout, in direct collaboration with technical programme teams. ESA's industrial policy decisions shape the distribution of space programme work across member states and underpin commercial relationships with Europe's space industry. The reserve list is valid for 24 months. ESA member state nationality required.

Master's or equivalent qualification in law or economics, with specialisation in public contract law Minimum 6 years of relevant professional experience in contracts and/or public procurement Extensive knowledge of contract, public procurement, and international business law Experience with public tendering and contract negotiation Strong negotiation skills and ability to manage multiple complex procurement actions in parallel Fluency in English required; French highly desirable Nationality of an ESA member state required