Our team and mission

The Technology Department is responsible for the technology strategy, the research and technology development programmes, the education programme and the directorates communication activities.

In particular, this includes, together with all relevant directorates:

• Developing and implementing ESA’s technology strategy;
• Organising studies, research and developments to provide an integrated, continuous technology development path from TRL1 to TRL9 according to strategic and programmatic needs, available competences and resources;
• Coordinating and harmonising technology developments with ESA’s application and programme specific technology development programmes, European and national technology development programmes;
• Developing and implementing a resource and competence plan for conducting R&D activities, together with the Management Support Office and the other departments;
• Preparing future missions and their technologies through early phase studies, system analyses, feasibility assessments, and establishing mission baselines for DG, Directorate, and Member State decisions;
• Developing together with the TEC business partners, Senior Technical Authorities and System engineers effective R&D processes addressing user and programme needs;
• Liaising with D/CIC on commercialisation and competitiveness aspects of R&D activities, and ensure the alignment of ESA's technology strategy with the strategies in these domains;
• Liaising with D/OPS on ground system R&D activities;
• Integrating relevant Education activities into the R&D management processes; 
• Communicating the value of ESA’s technical competence, infrastructure and facilities;
• Coordinating in close cooperation with corporate communication at ESA, TEC communication activities;
• Managing TEC internal communication activities.

The internship is situated within the ESA Academy programme of the Education Office. The ESA Education Office has the objective to motivate young Europeans to pursue a space related career, and to use space as a theme to enhance the literacy of young people in science and technology. In support of the educational objectives, the Office offers:

• The ESA Academy programme, to prepare higher education students and young professionals for a space sector career by offering hands-on training and financial support;
• Classroom resources, school projects and competitions that can be used by teachers and students to expand their motivation for and knowledge of STEM subjects.

ESA Academy’s Training programme aims at complementing the standard academic formation in space-related disciplines offered to participants from ESA Member and Associate States. One of its main objectives is to attract future workers to the space sector by transferring knowledge, know-how, and standards in all fields of ESA expertise.

ESA Academy’s Fly Your Satellite! programme is a hands-on programme of the ESA Academy supporting University teams with the design, development, test, launch and operations of their own CubeSats. In support of the programme, the CubeSat Support Facility (CSF) is an assembly integration and testing facility for CubeSats. Its purpose is to offer training and test facilities for university students that are part, or aiming to be part, of ESA’s educational CubeSat initiatives such as ‘Fly Your Satellite!', as well as supporting practical training as part of the Training Programme.

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

Field(s) of activity for the internship

You can choose between the following topics: 

1) Topic 1: Development of Concurrent Engineering tools

During the internship, you will:

• Receive an introduction to the Concurrent Engineering methodology and the COMET collaborative design software used during training sessions;
• Review and become familiar with existing educational calculation sheets across various space mission domains (e.g., power, propulsion, thermal, structures);
• Debug, optimise, and improve the functionality and user-friendliness of these calculation sheets;
• Develop clear and accessible user manuals for each calculation sheet;
• Expand the applicability and usability of the sheets to cover more scenarios or subsystems;
• Test and assess the improved tools in collaboration with students and ESA Academy staff;
• Investigate and propose additional tools or techniques that could further support students in the design/sizing of subsystems.

If one or more Concurrent Engineering Training Sessions take place during the internship period, you will also support:

• Preparation, including technical setup and document preparation;
• Delivery, by providing technical assistance to students and tutors;
• Post-session analysis, including gathering and analysing feedback to further improve the educational materials.

2) Topic 2: Development of a CubeSat Shock Testing Facility

During the internship, you will build on the work performed during a previous internship, which focused on completing the design and prototyping of a CubeSat shock testing facility. Specifically during this internship, you, with the support of CubeSat Support Facility staff, will:

• Verify the current proposed design;
• Compose an Assembly, Integration and Verification Plan;
• Produce and refine a user manual and other project documentation;
• Develop a test procedure document and related templates;
• Procure, Assemble and integrate the facility;
• Verify the functionality of the facility.

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education

You must be a university student, preferably studying at master’s level. In addition, you must be able to prove that you will be enrolled at your University for the entire duration of the internship.

Additional requirements

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

During the interview, your motivation for applying to this role will be explored.

You should also have:

Topic 1:

• In-depth knowledge of Microsoft Excel, particularly in the use of VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) and macros for automating calculations and enhancing spreadsheet functionality;
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills and the ability to document processes clearly;
• Familiarity with space systems engineering or subsystem design (e.g., power, thermal, propulsion) is considered an asset, as is the ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.

Topic 2:

• Knowledge of environmental testing, ideally applied to spacecraft or related devices;
• Experience or knowledge in AIV and the drafting and implementation of procedures is advantageous;
• Knowledge of spacecraft subsystems and functions is considered an asset.