Our team and mission

The Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC), Attitude and Orbit Control (AOCS) and Pointing Division is responsible for R&D, engineering and project support in the domains of GNC, AOCS and pointing, control techniques and tools and AOCS and GNC sensors. The team works in the following areas:

- Project support in the field of GNC, AOCS and Pointing engineering

• Conceptual design studies for future missions GNC/AOCS, in particular in Concurrent Design Facilities (CDF) studies;
• GNC/AOCS design, system analysis and modelling for future and current missions from ESA Directorates, for example Human and Robotic Exploration, Space Transportation, Earth Observation, Science and Navigation.

- Technology development

• Definition of technology development requirements for space missions and ESA technology programmes covering both long and short-term needs;
• Mission enabling R/D activities for AOCS and Pointing Systems (competitive Building Blocks, high accuracy pointing, …);
• Mission enabling R/D activities for GNC (interplanetary cruise, aero assistance, precision landing, ascent, rendezvous and docking, re-entry, formation flying and drag free systems, …);
• Technology development of AOCS sensors and actuators (star trackers, sun and Earth sensors, gyroscopes, accelerometers and Inertial Measurement Units, magnetometers, magnetic torquers, …);
• Fostering the utilisation of advanced control, estimation, verification and optimisation techniques.

- Laboratory work

• Evaluation and prototyping of GNC/AOCS sensors and actuators;
• Evaluation and prototyping of new GNC techniques (GNC Rendezvous, Approach and Landing, Optical Navigation);
• Evaluation and prototyping of new AOCS, pointing systems and associated subsystem hardware.
   

You are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship

As a Young Graduate Trainee, you will contribute to implement and upgrade the GNC/AOCS simulation, analysis, design, and verification facilities and to perform laboratory activities in the field of the GNC, AOCS and Pointing, amongst the following ones:

• AOCS definition and validation for Earth Observation missions;
• De-orbiting control strategy and AOCS mode definition for Low Earth Orbit satellite;
• Orbital proximity operations, including application to in-orbit servicing, in-orbit assembly and space debris removal;
• AOCS Verification and Validation using Model Based engineering resources and process, with focus on automated code generation;
• Development and assessment of autonomy functions for future AOCS and GNC systems;
• Performance and robustness characterisation of new AOCS/GNC sensors;
• Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experiments for rapid GNC and AOCS prototyping and verification, for example in the GRALS (GNC Rendezvous, Approach and Landing Simulator) robotics facility or on the AOCS flatsat (avionics bench level for AOCS verification);
• Contribution to the GNC/AOCS simulator modelling library (incl. constellation, de-orbiting, nanosat).

During your traineeship, you will perform the following tasks:

1. From mission or system-level requirements, develop an understanding of the implications on the derived requirements and architectures at GNC/AOCS system level;
2. Develop or enhance the existing GNC/AOCS simulation environments, implementing mission specific models of dynamics, kinematics and environment as well as GNC/AOCS sensor and actuator suites;
3. Contribute to the GNC/AOCS analysis and design of on-board algorithms;
4. Implement the GNC/AOCS algorithms on a target processor via auto-coding in order to assess real-time performance and computational loads;
5. Perform integration and verification in a Processor-in-the-loop (PIL) testing facility, using the test facilities of the Division;
6. If needed, setup Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experiments for rapid prototyping and verification. In this task, the trainee shall integrate the PIL avionics setup, the available hardware models of GNC/AOCS units, and all needed interfaces into the adequate Laboratory Facility, for example the GRALS (GNC Rendezvous, Approach and Landing Simulator) robotics facility at ESTEC;
7. Perform end-to-end verification, validation, and closed-loop testing of GNC/AOCS systems on the developed PIL and HIL facilities and develop data analysis tools for the characterisation and testing of hardware units;
8. Document the performed activities in dedicated technical reports and communicate results.

This Young Graduate Traineeship will provide the selected candidate with a solid GNC/AOCS experience, technical skills and hands-on know-how.

Technical competencies

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation

Operational Efficiency

Fostering Cooperation

Relationship Management

Continuous Improvement

Forward Thinking

Education

You should have just completed or be in the final year of your master’s degree in computer science.

Additional requirements

You should have good interpersonal and communication skills and should be able to work in a multicultural environment, both independently and as part of a team.

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.

During the interview motivation and overall professional perspective/career goals will also be explored.