AI Software Engineer for Crisis Assistant Chatbot Development

Are you looking for a new opportunity to take your career to a higher orbit? To join an international group with a successful track record in Space Engineering? A job adapted to your career ambitions and in which you could have an impact for the years to come?

We are seeking a AI Software Engineer to join our team in Madrid, Spain, focusing on the development of LLM-based crisis assistant chatbot — a core component of SAFEPLACE project, designed to support civil protection and emergency response organisations by providing near real-time, actionable information during crises.

In this role, you will contribute to the development of the Crisis Assistant (LLM based) of SAFEPLACE, focused on Floods and Wildfires crisis management. In addition, you could work in other ESA AI related projects.

About the SAFEPLACE project

SAFEPLACE is a next-generation Safety Platform for Crisis and Emergency developed within the European Space Agency’s Civil Security from Space (CSS) programme. This platform aims to provide real-time crisis management assistance by integrating Earth observation, satellite communications, IoT data and advanced AI — including LLM-powered conversational assistants — to support decision-making for responders and affected communities.

Tasks and activities

The scope of work will include:

• Develop and maintain the backend architecture for the LLM-based chatbot, ensuring high reliability and scalability.
• Integrate large language models (LLMs) with safety and crisis-aware conversational logic using state-of-the-art frameworks and APIs.
• Implement Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines and knowledge retrieval systems, using advanced prompt engineering.
• Design prompt strategies and safety mechanisms to mitigate harmful outputs while guiding end-user interactions appropriately.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (AI, frontend, data engineering, crisis experts) to align model behavior with crisis management SAFEPLACE project goals.
• Build and maintain testing, evaluation, and monitoring frameworks to continuously improve performance, quality, and safety.
• Document system design, evaluation results, and best practices for internal and external stakeholders.
• Collect users (Crisis managers and first responders) requirements for later implementation as SAFEPLACE crisis assistant features.
• Prepare and participate in live demonstrations to final end-users of SAFEPLACE platform.

Skills and experience

Mandatory Skills:

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, Software Engineering or equivalent.
• Demonstrated experience in Python and AI/ML software development.
• Hands-on experience to large language models (e.g., OpenAI or equivalent).
• Familiarity with conversational AI systems, including prompt engineering and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) concepts.
• Working knowledge with vector databases and semantic search technologies.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams.
• Fluent in English, with excellent communication skills and a solution-oriented mindset.

Highly Desirable Skills:

• Experience in crisis, safety-critical systems, or human-centered assistive AI.
• Knowledge/interest in cloud platforms, APIs, and backend service architectures.
• Experience with deployment tools (Docker) and CI/CD automation
• Willing to deliver solutions in international, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Knowledge of Spanish is highly desirable.

Why should you apply?

• You will have the opportunity to work within leading space organisations across Europe.
• We encourage everyone to think outside the box and to push the boundaries of traditional knowledge. This role is an opportunity to join a forward-thinking company and allows for a deeper understanding of the industry.
• To be part of a company that values integrity, inspiration, care and collaboration.
• Benefits include: competitive remuneration packages; unique career opportunities, including working in other countries; access to training and development programmes; flexible relocation support.

We welcome applications from people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, all genders, LGBTQ+ individuals and ex-service personnel.

About Starion

Starion is one of two new legal entities rebranded from the RHEA Group, focused on space consultancy and space engineering services and solutions. Starion provides engineering expertise and solutions for space, defence and other critical infrastructures across Europe, pushing the boundaries of innovation. Our teams work on world-leading space projects that deliver the pioneering missions that provide us with the information and technologies we use today.

Starion offers over three decades of expertise in professional engineering services, developing and operating systems and solutions tailored to our clients’ needs. By combining space and system engineering with established and emerging technologies, such as AI and quantum, we produce innovative solutions that make a fundamental difference for our clients and for society.

Starion employees are located across Europe, close to our clients’ offices, enabling us to be responsive and agile. Our engineers and researchers are among the most trusted and respected in the industry, helping build space-based solutions that address major challenges on Earth such as civil security, climate change and deforestation.