Space instrumentation project manager
Get to know this occupation
Description
This professional is responsible for managing projects relating to the design and building of instruments and equipment for space vehicles, i.e., everything from control systems for satellites, measuring equipment, to test equipment, fridges, for example. They also manage the human resources and materials side of the project. Space vehicle instrument design projects tend to be completed on a very sporadic basis, and are usually extremely demanding in terms of the application of state-of-the-art technology. As such, project managers are expected to ensure that their technical knowledge is kept up-to-date, with a view to lowering costs and guaranteeing the project is planned correctly on the basis of the available technology.
Tasks
- Prepare tender bids (contracts conceded through public tender) of design projects and instrumentation manufacture for space vehicles. Outsourcing of work to other external suppliers is very common, who will produce the subsystem designs, or even the entire design once requirements have been specified.
- Plan the project, set timings, and milestones of control and advancement, and determine requisites of staff, professional profiles and necessary material resources.
- Assign tasks to the team in charge and manage the provision of necessary material equipment.
- Supervise progress of the project and manage any incidences that arise. Decide on solutions to be adopted and, on the basis of these decisions, update the planning of the project.
- Manage project documentation throughout the course of its development. Since the final success of the project depends to a large extent on the correct treatment of documentation, this is a particularly demanding task. For this reason the professional takes charge of ensuring the entirety and correction of the documentation.
- Oversee the economic management of the project.
- Notify of the development of the project to company management and the client.
- Organise and direct follow-up and presentation project meetings - internal and client meetings. The project manager deals directly with the customer. Direct and frequent communication must exist between the Project Director and the System Engineer, in this way, correspondence between the design and customer expectations can be guaranteed.
