• Studied physics at the Techncial University, University of Munich and the University of California, Berkeley: Diploma in Physics from the Technical University of Munich (1947), PhD awarded in 1951.
• 1950s – Various positions at the Technical Universities of Munich and Research Assistantship at the Institute of Technology Aachan
• 1958-1978 – Director of the Institute of Plasma Physics of Nuclear Research Establishment (Kernforschungsanlage) in Julich
• 1966-1969 – Obtained leave of absence to become Director of ESRIN, Frascati
• 1973-1987 - Chairman of the DFVLR, the German aerospace research and test establishment

Jordan was the first director of ESRIN, ESRO’s European Space Research Institute. ESRIN consisted of a group of experts in specialised fields of theoretical and experimental physics, chemistry and plasma physics, engaged in original research and concentrated on experiments to study physical and chemical phenomena in space.